#Older adults ‘substantial proportion’ of COVID hospitalizations

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday that middle-aged adults are starting to account for a “substantial” number of COVID-19 hospitalizations.

“We’re starting to see that there’s a substantial proportion of people who are hospitalized between 40 and 59,” Fauci said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”

The Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases stressed that it’s “not just elderly individuals” and people with underlying health issues who are currently hospitalized for the virus.

“So these are people who are predominantly dominated by the elderly and underlying conditions, but not completely,” Fauci said of the 83,000 patients being treated in hospitals across the nation.

“These numbers really speak for themselves. We’re in a very, very difficult situation at all levels.”

Fauci noted that new cases are surging across the nation, meaning the curve is “really very, very steep.”

“It’s going up at a very rapid rate. And you looked at almost every single day, in fact, gives you another record,” Fauci said.

But he urged Americans to double down on safety measures, even if they’re experiencing “COVID fatigue” — noting that “vaccines are coming and they’re going to be available relatively soon.”

“You don’t want people to get terrified, but you want them to understand that we can do something about that by mitigation methods,” Fauci said. “And also help is on the way. So, we should not look upon this as a hopeless situation.”