According to a report on Tuesday, researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say three out of every four U.S. youth have been infected with the coronavirus, and more than half of all Americans have indications of previous infections.
Studies have demonstrated prior infection protects some people against severe sickness and hospitalization.
Researchers with the CDC examined blood samples from approximately 200,000 American citizens looking for virus-fighting antibodies from getting the virus rather than the vaccine. They discovered that the number of infected people increased from December 2021 to February of this year due to the contagious omicron variant that surged through the country.
Officials learned that the virus had become more common in children than adults. In December 2021, only 45% of people with antibodies were 17 years of age and younger. In February, this number rose to 75%.
In December, roughly 34% of Americans of all ages showed symptoms of a previous infection. Two months later, 58% had done so.
“I did expect it to increase. I did not expect it to increase quite this much,” said Dr. Kristie Clarke, co-leader of a CDC team that tracks the extent of coronavirus infections.
Dr. Clark also said, “We know that the reported cases are just the tip of the iceberg.”
It is important to note that because some people do not exhibit symptoms, do not get tested, or test at home without reporting positive results to public health officials, not all cases are documented.
According to Dr. Kristie Clarke, the CDC data suggests three persons were infected for every case officially reported during the Omicron wave, implying that millions of cases may have been missed during the highly contagious variation spread.
