A New Pandemic Challenge: Young Adults Under 24 Now Most Likely to Develop COVID-19

• New research shows that people under 24 are developing COVID-19 in increasing numbers.
• Experts say it isn’t surprising that young, college-age adults are driving this surge.
• Younger people are less likely to develop serious complications, but they can transmit the virus to more vulnerable people, according to experts.
• Experts say strong messaging that encourages physical distancing and mask wearing is the best way to curb the spread until vaccines are more readily available.

Older adults have been a focus during the COVID-19 pandemic, but new research reports that a younger demographic is becoming more likely to contract the novel coronavirus.

The data, published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, revealed that nearly 3 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 had been reported in people 24 and younger.

The report added that 57 percent of those new cases occurred in people 18 to 24.

The data suggests that the virus is affecting younger age groups at an increasing rate, as the highest incidence occurred during the final week of the review period.

This is bolstered by the findings from a separate study, published in JAMA Pediatrics earlier this month, that found recent hospitalizations among children for COVID-19 were nearly 9 times higher than last spring.

Experts said that while younger people are far less likely to encounter the serious side effects of the disease, these numbers are a cause for concern as COVID-19 cases surged around the country this month.

“In general, younger people — children, adolescents, and young adults — are more socially connected than older generations,” said Dr. Stephen Russell, co-founder of Imanis Life Sciences, a company that designed a scalable and quantifiable COVID-19 neutralizing antibody test.

“Almost by definition, they live in multigenerational households where transmission of the virus [is] much more prevalent,” he said.

Russell added that the 18-to-24 demographic is less likely to adhere to best-practice advice.

“It has been reported that mitigation behaviors, such as social distancing, wearing masks, and avoiding crowded spaces, is lowest among people between the ages of 18 and 29,” he told Healthline.

“They’re more likely to be asymptomatic and can easily unknowingly transmit the virus to others,” Russell said. “Many young adults also know that their risk of lethal infection or developing long-term health problems as a result of the virus is very low, which decreases their anxiety about getting sick and lends them less reason to adhere to COVID-19 recommended practices.”