A Pandemic First in Michigan: Young Under 40 More Likely to Be Hospitalized Than Elderly Over 80
Vaccination rates matter: 74% of elderly but just 36% of young Michigan residents received shots
DETROIT — Michigan continues to lead the nation in COVID-19 cases, and for the first time, young people 40 and under are more likely to be hospitalized than the elderly 80 and over.
Michigan is still averaging more than 4,000 cases per day (though numbers are dropping), while Colorado ranks second with 1,692 cases.
“It’s definitely become more of a young person disease now,” Dr. Mark Hamed of Sanilac County told MLive. “(Younger people) haven’t been vaccinated, and they’ve been more likely than older folks to go out and about, be in close contact with others and go to gatherings.”
Since the November-December surge, Michigan residents in their 30s have seen hospitalization rates soar by 58 percent, while hospitalizations for people 80 or older have dropped 60 percent.
You see the change at church meetings in Grosse Pointe: the vaccinated retired members remove their masks and get comfortable again. In contrast, the Millennial members are more likely to mask up and keep a six-foot distance.
