SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — With misinformation about COVID-19 continuing to spread as fast as the virus itself, some local doctors are looking to correct one particular rumor: the idea of the "invincible" youth.
"It is important for people to realize that even for the younger people, they're not invincible," Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Public Health Officer for Sacramento County, said.
Dr. Kasirye confirmed the county has seen an increase in the number of teens who are infected with the coronavirus.
"From our latest, when you look at the breakdown for age 10 to 19, we have 765 [cases]," Dr. Kasirye said. "So, that is a considerable number."
Dr. Mark Edelstein, medical director for Uplift Family Services, said despite some false assumptions teenagers may have about their own immune systems' response to the coronavirus, the actual numbers speak otherwise.
"I think the data is very clear, what data we have, that young people get the virus, and young people transmit the virus," Dr. Edelstein said.
Uplift Family Services works with children of all ages in California, addressing primarily mental health and basic needs, including food and clothing.
"Everybody should play safety first," Dr. Edelstein said. "And for us, that means minimizing the risk of viral transmission, but it also means trying to keep people safe from hurting another, or hurting themselves, or committing suicide."
Dr. Edelstein said that though we may be quick to judge teenagers for wanting to mix and mingle during this time, it is important to understand what young people may be going through.
"Just because a teenager thinks they might not get the virus or they don't have to follow somebody else's rules, doesn't mean they are not concerned about the safety of their family members," Dr. Edelstein said.
Young people are dealing with a unique experience during a pivotal time in their lives with coronavirus. It's different from what older people may be experiencing.
"I mean, a terrible thing for them to go through," Dr. Edelstein said. "It's an important developmental time in terms of social contact and trying new things. And here we are."
Though more research is needed to find just how the coronavirus impacts young people, recent cases from Sacramento County have proved that teenagers can get seriously ill from the virus.
"What we're finding also, even though the impression people have is that usually younger people get only mild symptoms, is that we've had several reports of individuals with very severe disease ending up in the intensive care unit or ending up, you know, with some severe complications," Dr. Kasirye said.
California recently saw its first COVID-19 related death of a teenager at Valley Children's Hospital in Madera. The unidentified youth reportedly had underlying health conditions. Young people with underlying risks are a particular concern for health officials. Conditions such as diabetes and other chronic illnesses can impact a person's immune system, regardless of age.
Dr. Kasirye believes the idea that young people are somehow immune to the coronavirus likely stems from a "traditional view" that young people tend to be less vulnerable to diseases, like the flu. Even at the beginning of the pandemic, says Dr. Kasirye, the numbers showed that older people were most impacted.
"But now, as we've had more transmission in the community, that picture is changing," Dr. Kasirye said.
According to Dr. Edelstein, one of the best ways to help teens who may be struggling with quarantine and the coronavirus is to start an open and honest conversation. Many teenagers, he said, are not intentionally trying to hurt anyone.
"There are some very understandable reasons why they might not take the precautions we'd like them to," Dr. Edelstein said. "But as I said, safety always comes first. So, you still have to sit down with teens and explain the situation and figure out with them how they can be safe."
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