More younger people are being hospitalized with COVID-19

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Younger people are now ending up in hospitals around the state and country. It’s a big shift from before.

People between the ages of 20 and 50 are now being hospitalized with COVID-19 at UAB, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Saag. He tells me some of them are having the same issues as older people who were hospitalized several months ago.

Not as many younger people are in the ICU, but Saag says some are dying and calls it a tragedy.

The reason being is that more older Americans have already received a vaccine. Saag says this speaks to the younger folks needing to take COVID-19 more seriously.

“We’re not seeing them anymore in the hospital. Why? because they’ve been vaccinated, so that’s a message for all of us, especially the younger folks. Now that its opening up for now, go get your vaccine and join the ranks of the vaccinated so we can all try and get back to normal sooner rather than later. But we’re not there yet,” Saag said.

The Alabama Department of Public Health is working with colleges and universities to get students to help spread the message about the importance of getting vaccinated.