Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, warns of coronavirus risk among young people.
The nation’s leading infectious disease expert emphasized that “more and more” complications with Covid-19 in young people are being recorded by doctors and infectious disease specialists.
During the initial period of the coronavirus outbreak, researchers pointed out that the coronavirus appeared to be not prevalent among young people while being particularly severe for the older adults and those with existing health conditions.
Dr. Fauci told a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing that it is not the case. “To think young people have no deleterious consequences is not true. We’re seeing more and more complications in young people.”
He added that he has never learned of a single virus have such a wide range of symptoms.
Some people display no symptoms while “some get mild symptoms and some get symptoms enough to put them at home for a few days. Some are in bed for weeks and have symptoms even after they recover, others go to the hospital, some require oxygen, some require intensive care, some get intubated and some die,” he said.
His statements came as authorities say more young people are dismissing social distancing measures and testing positive.
According to ABC News, Vice President Mike Pence reported an increase in Covid-19 cases among people under the age of 35, especially in Texas and Florida.
Dr. Fauci noted that young people who are asymptomatic, who never manifest symptoms, can also transmit the virus on to others. He said that young people should “care” not only for their own health but for the “dynamics of the outbreak."
“If you get infected and spread the infection, even though you do not get sick, you are part of the process of the dynamics of an outbreak in what you might be propagating,” he said. ”[And] inadvertently is infecting someone who then infects someone who then is someone who is vulnerable. That could be your grandmother, your grandfather, your sick uncle, who winds up dying.”
The coronavirus has hit more than 2.4 million Americans and continues to swiftly spread throughout the United States.
During the hearing, Dr. Fauci said that parts of the US are starting to see a “disturbing surge” in coronavirus infections. While New York state is recording a decline in Covid-19 cases, other states are experiencing a rise in cases that “reflect an increase in community spread.”
Health guidelines
Last week, Dr. Fauci expressed frustration over the public’s response to the pandemic. He says Americans are not following the health guidelines.
The White House health advisor stressed that Americans are not observing recommended health guidelines to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
“Clearly, we have not succeeded in getting the public as a whole uniformly to respond in a way that is a sound scientific, public health and medical situation,” Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during an interview with CBS News Radio’s Steven Portnoy.
“And it’s unfortunate. And it’s frustrating,” he said.
Dr. Fauci’s comments came after new coronavirus outbreaks in several states emerged this week.
