1. First and foremost, that the coronavirus only affects really old people.
2. More precisely, that only old people can catch the virus…
American adults of all ages — not just those in their 70s and above — are being seriously sickened by the coronavirus, a new CDC report shows https://t.co/rgXagWCVL5
IN FACT: In the US, 38% of patients that were sick enough to be hospitalized between Feb. 12 and March 16 were age 20 to 54, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study.
3. …and that only super old people have died from it.
The coronavirus pandemic has claimed the lives of an infant and a teenager https://t.co/MP2GoNxN5F
IN FACT: At least nine people age 20–64 have died from COVID-19 in the US, according to the CDC study.
4. That even though it also affects people with serious medical conditions, that’s basically just old people anyway.
Hi y’all! I‘m Kati. I have #EhlersDanlos w/ MCAS, celiac, congenital heart disease, (med resistant) gastroparesis, POTS, & more. I’m tube fed, IV hydrated via chest port, on corticosteroids, w/ 48% lung function. I turned 29 2 weeks ago. I’m #HighRiskCovid19 & deserve to see 30.
IN FACT: People of all ages with pre-existing medical conditions are more vulnerable to becoming seriously ill with the coronavirus, according to the WHO.
5. That if you’re young, you’re totally fine.
A dear friend in Madrid is in a coma with Covid-19. He’s under 40 and was in excellent condition. So much for it only killing the old and infirm. Why are NYC bars and restaurants still open?
IN FACT: "Severe illness leading to hospitalization, including ICU admission and death, can occur in adults of any age with COVID-19," the authors of the CDC study wrote.
(NYC bars and restaurants were limited to food takeout and delivery on Tuesday.)
6. That young people are immune, period.
College students in Florida test positive for coronavirus after spring break trip https://t.co/bCblpmh7jK
IN FACT: "Because no humans have had coronavirus in the past, we have no immunity to coronavirus," Dr. Natasha Bhuyan, a provider and Regional Medical Director at One Medical, told BuzzFeed Video.
7. That there's no evidence of young people being affected.
8. Forty-year-olds? Fine!
This morning I tested positive for Covid 19. I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing 👊🏾👊🏾 No panic.
IN FACT: Idris Elba, who's 47, said on Monday that he'd tested positive for COVID-19.
9. Twenty- and thirty-year-olds? Completely unsusceptible.
10. And babies and toddlers? Safe.
A study examining 2,000 children with coronavirus in China found that nearly 6 percent of them developed severe illness, with at least dire respiratory problems. Many of those were babies. https://t.co/UxgC86PNAT
IN FACT: A study of over 2,000 pediatric coronavirus patients in China found that "young children, particularly infants, were vulnerable to infection."
11. That young people can’t spread the coronavirus to older people.
12. That social distancing should therefore not apply to everyone.
Glendora man, 34, dies of coronavirus infection after visiting Disney World, sources say https://t.co/vd895c2O5Q
IN FACT: Social distancing is critical to helping stop the spread of the coronavirus.
13. And that young people especially shouldn't be forced to practice social distancing.
#HighRiskCovid19 my 88 mother in a nursing home. I’m locked out, she’s locked in. Let me see her again please. #StayAtHome please!
IN FACT: The life you save may not be your own.
14. That people shouldn't have to practice social distancing just to protect others.
My life depends on how you choose to cooperate during this time! I’m immunocompromised & my life matters too!! I depend on you to help protect me. I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta, restrictive lung disease, asthma, mitral valve prolapse, & obstructive sleep apnea. #HighRiskCovid19
IN FACT: As my colleague Anne Helen Peterson put it, "what you do now shouldn’t just be about mitigating your personal risk, but everyone else's. How would you alter your behavior if someone you loved or lived with was at high risk of becoming seriously sick or dying? What if you behaved that way, even if you don’t love or live with someone in that position?"