coronavirus in connecticut

COVID-19 Hospitalizations Up Among Younger Age Groups

Officials at Yale New Haven Hospital believe the uptick in younger COVID patients is tied to a lack of vaccination among the younger age groups and the circulating COVID-19 variants.

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COVID-19 hospitalizations are on the rise. Yale New Haven Hospital officials say in-patient treatment has gone up 25% over the last two weeks.  

“What we are seeing, is patients in their 20s and 30s and 40s,” said Marna Borgstrom, CEO of Yale New Haven Health.

It’s a change from what they saw over the last year, when a majority of hospitalized COVID patients were over 55.

“That has shifted dramatically so now we are filled with, still with a few in that age range, but large numbers are in the 45-54 age group,” said Balcezak, chief clinical officer of Yale New Haven Health.

He added there’s an increase in hospitalizations among the 35-44 age group as well. It’s up 41%. Balcezak believes a lack of vaccination in the younger population could be part of the cause.

“Last week we admitted and intubated a 21-year-old, very unusual,” said Balcezak. “There are now two pediatric patients in our ICU 48 with COVID.

Pediatric ICU patients is something they haven’t seen since last April. In addition to the two ICU children, there are four others there for general COVID treatment.

“Some of this is likely due to the fact that there’s some evidence that some of the variants that are starting to circulate may cause younger people to be a little bit sicker,” said Dr. Tom Murray of Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital.

He says it’s the B117 variant, now seen in 40% of all new cases.

“The predominant variant in Connecticut right now is the B117 that is identified as originating from the United Kingdom, and the vaccines are highly effective against that variant,” said Murray.

Yale officials say the proof is in the data. Hospitalizations are down across the health system among earlier vaccinated age groups. The greatest decline is among 75 and over, down 77%.

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