LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As Louisville sits firmly in the COVID-19 red zone, officials said they are seeing a disproportionate amount of cases among younger people.
Mayor Greg Fischer said Jefferson County's current case count is comparable to mid-February despite over half of the population being fully vaccinated. Officials are reporting more cases and hospitalizations among those younger than 45.
"You may be living your life on the assumption that COVID-19 doesn't affect young people, or that children aren't being hospitalized with the virus," Fischer said. "Those assumptions now are very outdated and they're just flat out wrong."
Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage with the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness said the city had 2,226 new cases and 12 deaths last week. Five of the 12 deaths were people under 50, and two of those were people in their early 30s.
"We're seeing younger folks who are dying from this disease [more] than we've seen in the past," Hartlage said.
From Aug. 8-14, people 20 to 44 made up nearly 1,000 of the city's COVID cases. Those younger than 20 recorded more than 500 cases. People in the 45 to 64 age group and those 65 and older reported less than 500 cases, respectively.
Hartlage said the delta variant, the dominant variant in the area, provides a greater risk of infection — saying one infected person can infect five to seven people. Hartlage compared the variant to the chicken pox, and said the vaccines for both chicken pox and COVID are "very effective" at stopping severe illness and death.
Dr. Mark McDonald, medical director of Norton Children’s Hospital, said children are being hit much harder during this COVID spike.
At the start of the pandemic, McDonald said Norton Children's saw about two or three total patients. Now, they have 11 inpatients and four ICU patients. McDonald said the hospital gets about three new admissions each day.
McDonald said half of their COVID patients are 12 or older, while the other half are younger. None are vaccinated.
"The patients are much sicker with the delta variant, and they're requiring a lot more support than previously," McDonald said.
Like adults who have struggled with long-hauler symptoms, McDonald said children can deal with myocardial dysfunction, fogginess, fatigue and even an inability to focus when reading.
Norton Children's promotes the vaccine for anyone who can receive it. McDonald said they will start offering the vaccine to children within the hospital and their parents.
"The best we can do is try to get the word out there to the public," McDonald said. "It's just too late when you get the hospital and you haven't been vaccinated."
Also a concern for health care officials, Dr. Paul McKinney with UofL's School of Public Health and Information Sciences said individuals who are immunocompromised make up around 40 to 45% of hospitalized breakthrough cases.
McKinney is a member of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory committee of immunization practices. He said a third dose should help improve the antibody response to around 70% of immunocompromised people.
U.S. regulators said transplant recipients and others with weakened immune systems can get an extra dose of the vaccine as soon as possible. Anyone 12 and older with those conditions is encouraged to talk to their health care provider.
Health experts are expected to recommend COVID vaccine boosters for all Americans, regardless of age, eight months after they received their second dose of the shot.
Louisville has seen an uptick in vaccinations over the last month, however Hartlage said vaccination numbers were down in the last week. Officials said that masks, social distancing and staying home when possible help, but a vaccination is the most important tool in fighting COVID.
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