The Emerging Covid Threat - Young People

Medical authorities in the US are reporting on a shift in Covid-19 infections. It's summer time and, of course, that's party time.  The predictable result is an upswing in Covid infections in younger people and, just as predictably, they're bringing it home to their sibs, their parents and their grandparents.

The shifts in demographics have been recorded in parts of Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Texas and other states -- many of which were some of the first to reopen. 

In Mississippi, where one health officer called adherence to social distancing over the past weeks "overwhelmingly disappointing," officials attributed clusters of new cases to fraternity rush parties.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said last week that people under 30 made up a majority of new coronavirus cases in several counties. He said that increase in young infected people could be related to Memorial Day parties, visits to bars or other gatherings. 

And in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Friday that the median age was 37 for newly diagnosed coronavirus cases over the last week. In the state, 62% of new cases for the week of June 7 are under 45 years old, he said.

Gov. DeSantis said Saturday cases are "shifting in a radical direction" toward populations in their 20s and 30s. 

Those younger groups testing positive are mostly asymptomatic and don't require clinical attention, the governor said.

"It's a little bit of a disturbing trend, and what frightens me is not only that they are younger, the potential of them infecting other people, particularly parents and grandparents," Chief Medical Officer at Grady Health System Dr. Robert Jansen told the news station.

What next - inter-generational distancing?