CDC Study Says That Slowing The Spread Of The Coronavirus May Hinge On Young Adults

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study cautioned of the “urgent need” to combat the spread of the coronavirus among young Americans.

The study, released Friday, said young adults infected with the virus often result in older, more vulnerable Americans contracting it as well.

The CDC study “provides evidence that among young adults, those aged 18-24 years demonstrate the earliest increases in percent positivity; and underscore the importance of reducing transmission from younger populations to those at highest risk for severe illness or death.” The study added that “addressing transmission among young adults is an urgent public health priority.”

The study contradicted rhetoric from President Donald Trump and other Republican officials, who have often advocated for allowing young and low-risk Americans to get back to their lives while simultaneously vowing to “protect the vulnerable,” The Hill reported.

The study also found that positive cases spiked among younger Americans before older Americans within their respective communities, suggesting that the virus may have spread among asymptomatic people, especially in the southern and western parts of the country.

CDC study warns of “urgent need” to slow spread of coronavirus among young adults https://t.co/yR4IeX63fr pic.twitter.com/k7S1xx6dAx

— The Hill (@thehill) October 9, 2020

A separate CDC study released Friday said that young Americans not only faced “social or peer pressure to not wear a mask” when around others, but were exposed to “misinformation” and “conflicting messages” about masks as well, and identified the factors as a “driver of behavior” that resulted in case spikes around the country.

Americans must emphasize “the importance of providing clear and consistent messages about the need for and effectiveness of masks,” the additional study said.

Nearly 7.5 million Americans have been infected with the coronavirus so far, and over 212,000 have died, according to a Johns Hopkins University database.