In Gautam Buddh Nagar, youth more vulnerable to Covid than elderly

In an official briefing on Monday, Dr VK Paul, member (health), Niti Aayog said that the percentage of young people testing positive for Covid-19 during the second wave remain almost as much as it was during the first wave of the virus.

During the first wave, 23% of the Covid positive people belonged to the 20-40 age group, the number slightly increased to 25% during the second wave, Paul said.

On a national level, people above 40 remain the most vulnerable to the infection with almost 70% of the Covid cases coming from this age group during both the waves, said Paul.

However, in Gautam Buddh Nagar, the situation is quite contrary. As per media reports, the young people (aged between 20-40) in Gautam Buddh Nagar are more vulnerable to the infection than above 40 people.

Out of around 28,000 total Covid positive people in the district, 14,680 belong to the 20-40 age group, more than 50%.

This is also alarming because a U.S based study showed that increased cases of COVID-19 among young adults in some U.S areas were followed by increases among older adults four to 15 days later, suggesting that younger people are transmitting the coronavirus to them.