19 Mar Coronavirus hits older people hardest. But Millennials, Gen Xers can be vulnerable

By Allison Aubrey, NPR

New preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is helping create a picture of the spectrum of illness caused by COVID-19 in the U.S.

The findings echo what’s been documented in China: The risk of serious disease and death is higher in older age groups. But they aren’t the only age groups at risk.

An analysis of cases in the U.S. found that 45% of hospitalizations, 53% of intensive care admissions and 80% of deaths were among people 65 and older. The highest percentage of deaths associated with COVID-19 was among people 85 and older.

However, younger adults also can be vulnerable to serious illness. Among 508 patients known to be hospitalized, 38% were younger than 55. Read more …