Biologist Ancha Baranova Explained Why COVID-19 Is "younger"

Biologist Ancha Baranova explained why COVID-19 is "younger"

A high percentage of cases under 45 years old speaks of an expansion of the epidemiological picture, and not of a mutation of the virus, said the doctor of biological sciences in an interview with Medportal.

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At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, when China was its epicenter, doctors recorded severe forms of COVID-19 and deaths mainly in the elderly. However, in Europe and the United States, there is a large increase in fairly young patients, moreover, the Moscow headquarters said that 40% of severe cases occur in patients under 40.

In an online interview with MedPortal, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor at the GMU School of Systems Biology (USA) Ancha Baranova dispelled the disturbing rumors that it was all about the rapid mutation of the virus. The increase in the number of cases among young people is associated only with a change in the overall picture of the pandemic, she said.

“At the time the epidemic began, we only had data from China. It should be understood that there is a fundamentally different culture, including in medicine, and the attitude towards diseases of the elderly is different there. In addition, these were data for rather limited groups. Now that the study groups have become larger, they are expected to include people who have immunodeficiency. And this is not only about HIV, it can be congenital problems with immunity, which patients did not even suspect about,”Baranova said.

The scientist also noted some psychological effect of the wide coverage of the pandemic in the media: each case of the disease of young people is considered very closely, so it seems that there are a lot of them.

“Yes, people of sufficient young age get sick and die, but this does not mean that the virus has somehow changed,” Ancha Baranova emphasized.