Coronavirus cases on the rise for young people in Mecklenburg, records show
An increasing number of young people are getting sick with the novel coronavirus, Mecklenburg County data show, a trend that is worrying local public health officials.
Since the beginning of April, the percentage of people under 20 with COVID-19 in Mecklenburg has made up a steadily increasing portion of the total number of coronavirus cases — going from just 1.1% on April 1 to 16% of the cases on July 29.
That’s the biggest jump in that time period of the four age groups Mecklenburg County measures: under 20, between 20 and 39, between 40 and 59, and 60 and over.
Officials worry the rising trend of young people getting sick could continue — especially if they ignore social distancing guidelines and mask requirements.
What’s more, people age 20 to 39 make up 44% of all Mecklenburg COVID-19 cases as of late last month, compared to 31.7% on April 22.
During that same time period, however, the county’s percentage of cases in people between 40 and 59, and people 60 and over, have been steadily dropping.
On April 22, people between 40 and 59 made up 36.4% of the county’s COVID-19 cases. On July 29, that age group made up 28.4% of the county’s total.
Also on April 22, people over the age of 60 made up 29.1% of Mecklenburg COVID-19 cases, compared to 11.6% late last month.
Late-night alcohol ban
County and state leaders are beginning to crack down on gatherings at restaurants, as officials express frustration that many young people aren’t complying with social distancing recommendations and mask requirements — especially when alcohol is involved.
Bars haven’t been allowed to reopen under the state’s Phase Two plan, but county and state leaders say restaurants that stay open late serving alcohol could contribute to the spread of the coronavirus.
“Young people are not doing what we need them to do,” county manager Dena Diorio said at a virtual lunch with local businesspeople hosted by the Hood Hargett Breakfast Club on Thursday. “They’re not wearing masks, they’re not social distancing. … As long as that behavior continues, we’re going to continue to see spread within the younger population.”
Mecklenburg put a late-night alcohol ban into effect July 23, ordering restaurants that serve alcohol to close to on-site customers at 11 p.m. The order also bans shared game equipment, like pool tables and darts.
Less than a week later, N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper announced a similar, but less strict late-night alcohol ban that went into effect July 31.
That ban requires restaurants that serve alcohol to stop selling alcoholic drinks at 11 p.m., but those businesses can remain open.
On Monday, Mecklenburg announced the town of Mint Hill has pulled out of the county late-night alcohol ban in favor of the governor’s less restrictive order. Davidson, Matthews, Pineville, Charlotte and unicorporated areas of Mecklenburg are still included under the county ban.
“People are incredibly interested in getting back to normal these days,” Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris told county commissioners on July 28. “Normal is not what it was before COVID hit.”
Schools reopening
The steady increase in young people getting sick with COVID-19 is especially stark as local school systems and universities consider plans to return to classes in the fall.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools plan to reopen this fall with wholly remote instruction, the Observer reported last week. Earlier, the school district had planned to begin the school year with two weeks of in-person orientation for students, but changed that plan in light of staffing shortages.
And two Charlotte colleges, Queens University of Charlotte and Johnson C. Smith University, announced plans to forgo physical classes and deliver instruction entirely online, the Observer reported last week.
UNC Charlotte announced plans in May to delay the fall semester by two weeks — planning to begin in-person classes on Sept. 7.
Hospitalizations
It’s not just that more young people are getting sick — more young people are being hospitalized as well.
At Novant Health, the average age of hospitalized patients has dropped by 8 years in recent weeks. Charlotte’s largest hospital system, Atrium Health, has seen a shift too.
The average age of hospitalized patients at Atrium Health is still around 60, Atrium infectious disease specialist Dr. Katie Passaretti told The Observer Friday.
But at the beginning of the pandemic, Atrium saw “very few, if any” pediatric patients. Now, Atrium is starting to see teens and young adults, Passaretti said.
Older adults and people with underlying conditions are at a much higher risk of dying from COVID-19 or experiencing serious complications, Passaretti said — but that doesn’t mean young people can ignore the pandemic.
It’s rare, but young people can still see severe infections from COVID-19, Passaretti said. And while most young people with COVID-19 will likely recover, they could spread the infection to people at high-risk for complications.
“This is more about the greater good than your individual situation,” she said.
Passaretti said the county and statewide alcohol ban is a good step to limiting COVID-19 hotspots, but that young people may still be having private gatherings that could spread the virus.
“Hopefully it’s a step in the right direction,” she said.
This story was originally published August 3, 2020 at 4:00 PM.
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