COVID-19 has been spreading rapidly over the past several months, and the U.S. death toll has now reached 400,000. As can be seen from the age distribution of these deaths, COVID-19 is dangerous not only for the elderly but for middle-aged adults, according to a study led by Dartmouth published in the European Journal of Epidemiology.
For a middle-aged person, the risk of dying from COVID-19 is about 100 times greater than dying from a car accident. In general, very few children and young adults die from COVID-19. However, the risk is increasing for middle-aged and elderly adults. The deadly numbers are only 1: 10,000 at age 25, but those numbers are around 1: 100 at age 60, 1:40 at age 70, and 1:10 at age 80. “
Andrew Levin, Lead Author, Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College
These findings represent the result of a systematic review of all available studies on the incidence of COVID-19 in countries with advanced economies; this review included over 1,000 research papers and government documents distributed by 18 September 2020. The research team identified 27 studies where the design of the survey was representative of the general population , covering 34 geographical locations in the US, Canada, Asia and Europe. . Using these frequency data, the researchers examined the age-specific ratio of COVID-19 deaths to diseases and found a clear causal relationship.
The first version of this study was posted online in July 2020 as a NBER Working Paper and was regularly updated on the medRxiv preprint server before being published as an open access article in the European Journal of Epidemiology. The findings are still very relevant given that the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. is steadily rising. “Our findings are consistent with the CDC Weekly Updates with Select Demographic and Geographic Characteristics, which reports COVID-19 deaths by age group,” says Levin. “Nearly 40 percent of COVID deaths -19 U.S. have occurred among those aged 45 to 74 years, and nearly 60 percent have occurred among those over 75 years. In comparison, children and young adults (less than 45 years) account for less than 3 percent of U.S. COVID-19 deaths. “
Levin also stressed the critical practical implications of his team’s research findings. “While COVID-19 vaccines are now being released, it is likely to be several more months before these vaccines are released to the general public,” said Levin. where possible. Taking basic care – including wearing a mask, using social distance, and washing your hands regularly – is essential for the protection of yourself, your family, friends and your loved ones. community members from this deadly realm. disease. “