Hundreds of young Americans have now been killed by the coronavirus, data shows

[riversedge]

Source: wash post




ER doctor: ‘Just because they are young doesn’t mean they aren’t vulnerable’

April 8, 2020 at 1:58 p.m. CDT


Two weeks after her husband died alone in an intensive care unit in Fort Myers, Fla., Nicole Buchanan is quarantined at the home they shared with their 12-year-old daughter, wrestling not only with grief but also with why and how the coronavirus could steal someone so young and healthy.

“My husband didn’t have diabetes, he didn’t have asthma, he didn’t have high cholesterol. He didn’t have anything,” Buchanan said. “There’s just so much I’ll never know, that I’ll never get the answers to.”

Conrad Buchanan, who died at 39 on March 26 after battling the infection for nearly two weeks, was creative and goofy. A professional DJ, he could entertain huge crowds with his music. But at home, he was fond of singing Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” to his daughter, Skye.
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He also was among at least 759 people under age 50 across the United States who have perished amid the deepening pandemic, according to a Washington Post analysis of state data. These deaths underscore the tragic fact that while the novel coronavirus might be most threatening to the old and compromised, no one is immune...................................

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Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/04/08/young-people-coronavirus-deaths/

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[Ford_Prefect]

1. "Just like the flu" Indeed!!!

This will have enormous and un-expected effects across families and communities in the horrible and random way that warfare does. And as with warfare, those people and communities of lesser or common means will suffer disproportionately to those with considerable wealth...

[SunSeeker]

2. Hearbreaking.

[BigmanPigman]

3. "No one is immune"...important to remember.

[duforsure]

4. trump will spin death

While blaming and accusing others, when his response is behind many more of them. He's still trying to prevent help , preventing testing, medical supplies and medical equipment , while claiming his response has been greater than anyone else's in our history, which really exposes his lies. His supporters are dying now realizing he lied to them about this all along. trump failed , and is still failing badly with his positions and refusals to help the American people daily now .

[safeinOhio]

5. Deadly immune 'storm' caused by emergent flu infections

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140227142250.htm

A cytokine storm is an overproduction of immune cells and their activating compounds (cytokines), which, in a flu infection, is often associated with a surge of activated immune cells into the lungs. The resulting lung inflammation and fluid buildup can lead to respiratory distress and can be contaminated by a secondary bacterial pneumonia -- often enhancing the mortality in patients.
This little-understood phenomenon is thought to occur in at least several types of infections and autoimmune conditions, but it appears to be particularly relevant in outbreaks of new flu variants. Cytokine storm is now seen as a likely major cause of mortality in the 1918-20 "Spanish flu" -- which killed more than 50 million people worldwide -- and the H1N1 "swine flu" and H5N1 "bird flu" of recent years. In these epidemics, the patients most likely to die were relatively young adults with apparently strong immune reactions to the infection -- whereas ordinary seasonal flu epidemics disproportionately affect the very young and the elderly.

[keithbvadu2]

6. You can actually be too healthy to survive coronavirus

You can actually be too healthy to survive coronavirus

UNDERSTAND THE CYTOKINE STORM

This coronavirus can trigger "Cytokine release syndrome" (a cytokine storm) in persons with particularly healthy immune systems. COVID-19 is a disease that you actually have a better chance of surviving if your immune system is slightly compromised. The 1918 flu pandemic (The Spanish Flu) killed between 50 and 100 million people, many of whom were young and healthy. Evidently, the virus triggers the body's immune system and keeps triggering it, non-stop and relentlessly, until the infected person is killed by their own, super-strong immune system. That is the essence of a cytokine storm, and it's why many young, healthy people are likely to be struck down by this disease.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100213100840

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

7. It would be interesting if they found something in common

among the younger folks that have died from this.

[lunasun]

8. + 1 yes They are not the majority of cases but why some healthy under 40 have succumbed

[Initech]

11. Because we're the service workers.

We're the ticket takers and the grocery store shelf stockers, and the delivery drivers, the shoppers, the packages and the repairmen, and the delivery drivers. Also the emergency crews - the ambulance drivers, nurses and health care professionals. While you're staying at home, we're out there and getting exposed. That's a big part of the reason why this is happening.

That myth about the virus only affecting seniors? That's all it is - just a myth. This virus doesn't care what your age or socioeconomic status are.

[lunasun]

12. That's true both our jobs have had us @ WFH since before our state order and our 2 teens followed

with job and school closings. Even some service I know like 2 at the airport on hold + at home
but someone I know at fed ex and another friendwho does pharma deliveries everyday ? multiple exposure
And my healthcare family -I just hold in thought because there it can be the viral load exposure they think that can increase severity too
Our teens know other people in service not laid off fast food food shops. I wonder also though what the cut off may be for a younger age protecting a person because it seems like there is one I don’t know but it never went for kids like flu , even in earlier transmission anywhere and even if they are getting it they are not getting sick . No one has a definitive call on that yet but experts suspect it may be down to the unique way children’s immune systems respond to viruses
I’d like to see that study continue too since compromised immune children have passed

Socioeconomics status though looks to have played some role in NYC studies There is still a rush hour in many working class neighborhoods and wealthy are not taking public transportation but yes being rich (or Boris) won’t protect you in the end if you are not isolated
Maybe in a bubble ! 😕

[Initech]

13. And then add that to the stress of it all.

Stress is a killer regardless of whether or not the Coronavirus existed or not. And everything that has happened since the outbreak has been unbearably stressful. Even the most everyday tasks like getting food have become just an absolute nightmare.

[Coventina]

9. But, DUers were assuring me that young, healthy people weren't at risk!

What gives?

[live love laugh]

10. DU article on same topic that I edited to shorten

So I could share.

Possibly millions of young, healthy people WILL DIE from COVID-19

COVID-19 has already killed a disproportionate number of young, healthy people and it will continue to do so. Normally with flu viruses, potential fatalities are among the very young, very old, and very weak. Covid is somewhat different. So far, there have been very few deaths among persons in the 0-9 years of age range. The 20-40 range, however, is at particular risk with this kind of virus. Here's why:

THE CYTOKINE STORM

This coronavirus can trigger "Cytokine release syndrome" (aka cytokine storm). In persons with particularly healthy immune systems —most younger people—the virus triggers their immune system and keeps triggering it, non-stop and relentlessly, until the infected person is killed by their body’s own, super-strong immune system. That is the essence of a cytokine storm, and it's why many young, healthy people are likely to be struck down by this disease.

COVID-19 is a disease that you actually have a better chance of surviving if your immune system is slightly compromised. It is believed that cytokine storms were responsible for the disproportionate number of healthy young adult deaths during the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed 50 to 100 million people.[15] In this case, a healthy immune system may have been a liability rather than an asset.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokine_release_syndrome

Yes, the chances of dying are higher for persons in the 75+ range, but there are many fewer people in that age range than in the 25-34 range. The raw number of deaths is likely to be highest among those who are young and healthy if COVID-19 follows the pattern of the 1918 flu pandemic.

Even if it doesn't exactly mimic the 1918 pandemic, it is foolish to pretend that our most healthy people are unlikely to die as a result of COVID-19. The high number of deaths that occurred as a result of the 1918 pandemic seems to be related to the fact that there were millions of troops in the trenches during WWI with that virus. Those only a little sick (with less-virulent strains) were left in place and the sickest were sent on crowded trains to multiple hospitals across multiple countries, quickly spreading the more virulent strains as they traveled killing tens of millions.

The answer is to isolate the more virulent strains. Well over half of us are going to catch this thing. Our best hope is to catch a less-virulent strain that we survive giving us some immunity to more virulent strains. But please, young people, do not assume that you are invulnerable. We all need to be very careful.

[JudyM]

14. Viral load's an important factor, too. Direct relationship between that and the intensity of Covid,

all things being equal.

Young folks who get a heavy dose (this poor guy was a big partying type) will need a huge immune response, and it gets out of whack. Seniors, otoh, don’t mount a strong enough defense at the outset so their immune systems overcompensate when the virus finally drops down to their lungs. Even a low initial viral load can be too much for them.

What CDC and governors should be saying in addition to washing hands, wearing cloth masks (blocking is important!!), socially isolating (and getting plenty of sleep and lowering stress) is to do nasal and throat saline rinses at least a couple times a day to clear out as much virus as possible, before ever getting symptoms. Also boost your immune system with elderberry, zinc, vitamins C and D unless/until it hits your lungs. We need our immune systems to fight it off when it’s still hibernating in our nose and throat so the viral population doesn’t wreak havoc in our lungs. Blocking and hunting the virus before it gets to our lungs is our best hope.

Also, something I just learned today, if someone in your house/apt/group home is sick, keep the humidity up to keep the viral particles from merrily floating around.

[Bengus81]

15. FAKE NEWS!! Just ask Ron DeSantis

He wants all those young people to hit the beach.