Data from some states shows that children and young adults are accounting for a larger proportion of coronavirus cases during the current surge, another sign that the more transmissible U.K. variant is becoming the dominant strain in the United States.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recently stated that U.K. variant, also known as B.1.1.7, was now the dominant strain in the U.S. She also said, “We are seeing these increases in younger adults, most of whom have not yet been vaccinated.”
Physicians around the country have noticed a trend toward younger patients.
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Dr. Amy Beth Kressel, an infectious disease expert at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis, said the infection rate among children was outpacing the rate among adults.
“We’ve protected older people,” Kressel told News 8 in Indianapolis. “But we have no vaccines for kids. So, if we didn’t have the vaccine, we would probably not be seeing this shift.”
Genomic sequencing is a test that enables states to know if a particular case of COVID-19 is caused by the original strain or a variant like B.1.1.7. A sample of about 5% of cases is needed to inform public health officials whether a variant strain is spreading.
However, half of the states in the U.S. have sequenced less than 1% of their cases, according to the CDC. Another 19 have sequenced less than 2%.
But a few of those states collect data on COVID-19 cases by age over many months, making it possible to determine if cases are currently on the rise for those under age 20. Here is the most recent data from those states where COVID-19 cases are rising that have sequenced less than 2% of cases:
Colorado: In late January, COVID-19 cases among those 19 and younger accounted for 19% of total cases. By early April, that rose to 23%.
Maine: Cases among those under age 20 accounted for 13.4% of the total in early January. That increased to almost 17% by mid-April.
Maryland: Those ages 19 and under accounted for 15% of total cases by mid-March. That was up from about 10.5% in early January.
North Carolina: In early January, those ages 17 and under accounted for 12% of cases. By early April, that had risen to 17%.
Rhode Island: In early April, cases among those ages 18 and younger stood at 25% of the total. That was up from 16% in January.
Vermont: Cases among people ages 19 and under accounted for over 16% of total cases at the beginning of January. At the end of March, it was almost 22%.
Exactly why B.1.1.7 appears to be more infectious among younger people is not clear.
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“It does appear to do better among younger age groups, whether that is due to changing behavior among young people and a lack of vaccination, or if it a genuine biological advantage [in the U.K. variant],” said Vaughn Cooper, a professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
