In several U.S. states, including Florida, Texas, Washington, California and Colorado, there are reports of a demographic shift in coronavirus case trends, with younger adults increasingly making up a greater share of cases, according to NPR.
There are many possible reasons for this shift, including the fact that more people are getting tested for the new virus, public health experts told NPR. But some experts attribute the rise in cases among adults in their 20s and 30s to their possible belief that they are at lower risk of contracting the virus and return to social gathering settings sooner than older adults.
In Washington, an analysis of state data showed that nearly half of new COVID-19 cases in Seattle were among people in their 20s and 30s. State data in California shows that adults younger than 35 years make up about 44 percent of new coronavirus cases, NPR reports.
"If you see these types of trends occurring in a state as large as California, it's probably a very strong harbinger that this is actually happening nationally, too," George Lemp, DrPH, an infectious disease epidemiologist and former director of the University of California's HIV/AIDS Research Program, told NPR.
Many governors have blamed the uptick in cases on young adults, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who tied the rise in new virus cases to reports of packed bars and young adults failing to socially distance.
Some local governments are trying to create public awareness campaigns aimed at young adults. Ken Welch, a county commissioner in Pinellas County, said the county thought about getting local athletes to talk about the importance of wearing a mask.
Wafaa El-Sadr, MD, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at New York City-based Columbia University, told NPR that identifying "trusted spokespeople" to create awareness among younger adults is key.
"I think young people can potentially have a very, very valuable role if we can harness their energy and attention," she said.
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