Young adults between the ages of 18 and 29 were less likely to engage in recommended COVID-19 virus prevention behaviors compared to older adults, according to the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Oct. 27.
The CDC conducted three waves of surveys between April and June, collecting 6,475 surveys from over 2,000 people.
Three study findings:
1. Mask-wearing increased overall from 78 percent in April to 89 percent in June. People ages 60 and older saw a higher increase in mask use from about 84 percent in April to 92 percent in June. The young adult group reported an increase of about 70 percent in April to 86 percent in June.
2. All other recommended safety measures including hand-washing, social distancing and avoiding crowded places remained the same or declined throughout the survey period.
3. Those who were less likely to wear a mask also reported lower engagement in other safety measures.
Lower engagement in COVID-19 prevention behaviors reported by younger adults may be linked to the increase in cases among the group, and highlights the need to improve communication on preventive measures and target young adults, according to the CDC.
More articles on public health:
Number of COVID-19 hospitalizations, state by state: Oct. 28
44,000 Americans hospitalized; Medicare, Medicaid to cover COVID-19 vaccines with emergency authorization — 5 updates
25 states where COVID-19 is spreading fastest, slowest: Oct. 28