Young and younger: Minnesota's latest COVID-19 hospitalizations
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As Minnesota hospitals have filled amid a fourth COVID-19 wave in 18 months, doctors have reported something different — an increase in younger adult patients, mostly unvaccinated and usually surprised that the coronavirus hits them as hard as it does.
The median age of the state's COVID-19 hospitalizations was 65, with a typical range of 50 to 77, last winter, but it has dropped to 50 since June, with a typical range of 30 to 76, according to a September COVID-19 hospital outcomes report from the Minnesota Department of Health. An increase in younger adult patients occurred in the spring as well when a fast-spreading alpha variant of the coronavirus was circulating, but doctors said the trend is more noticeable with the faster-spreading delta variant now dominant in Minnesota.
Hospital leaders don't expect a peak until early to mid-October, though, based on modeling estimates and earlier delta waves in other countries. Some hospitals are deferring nonemergency procedures for the next few weeks, while all are reporting transfers of patients across the state or even out of state when their own beds are full.
The pandemic has caused 697,182 coronavirus infections and 8,076 COVID-19 deaths in Minnesota. The state has used a variety of strategies including $100 incentives to try to protect more people through vaccination. Minnesota ranks 21st among states with a first-dose vaccination rate of 74.4% among eligible residents 12 and older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the rate drops steadily by age and explains to many hospital leaders the age shift in their inpatient wards.
https://www.startribune.com/young-and-younger-minnesota-s-latest-covid-19-hospitalizations/600100761/