Delta variant of Coronavirus behind severe infection among young people, say US health experts

A section of health experts have also said that the rise in infections and resultant conditions among young patients is also on account of low vaccination coverage among them.

Even as the threat of widespread transmission of Coronavirus has substantially dissipated in the United States, health experts have highlighted that cases of Coronavirus caused by the Delta variant are rendering younger patients sicker and more vulnerable in comparison to the past. Health experts have not only cited instances of young patients in their 20s and 30s getting admitted into intensive care but many eventually succumbing to the disease, the New York Times reported.

Experts say that in comparison to the last year when only the old patients, suffering from major comorbidities, usually got severely ill, the delta variant might be the reason behind several young people without any comorbidities falling severely sick. The delta variant, which is the cause behind 80 percent of the new cases being reported in the US, has already been found to be the reason behind severe infection in several countries around the world including India.

A section of health experts have also said that the rise in infections and resultant conditions among young patients is also on account of low vaccination coverage among them. The NYT reported that a total of 97 percent of patients of Coronavirus admitted in different hospitals across the entire country are those who are unvaccinated and the vaccination coverage among the youth is very less.

Dr. Adam Ratner, who is an associate professor of pediatrics and microbiology at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine told the NYT that there is not substantial evidence to prove that the delta variant is causing more severity among the patients. Dr Adam further said that the severity of disease might also be a manifestation of the difference in people’s behaviour- less precautions, no face masks, reduced fear of virus- as compared to last year when by and large people were taking maximum possible precautions.

However, Dr. Catherine O’Neal, who is a chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge told the NYT that there was something different associated with this virus in the younger age group. Similarly, Dr. Cam Patterson, who is the chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences told the NYT that the average age of patients getting admitted due to Covid was 60 in the winters but it has now reduced to 40 which shows that more younger patients are being impacted by the new variant.