Springfield health care leaders say they're seeing younger people with serious complications of COVID-19 admitted to their hospitals.
At a press conference in Springfield on July 14, Brent Hubbard, president and COO of Mercy Hospitals Springfield, said in the beginning of the outbreak most patients admitted to Mercy with COVID-19 were older than 60. Now, he says more patients coming in are in their 50s and younger, with one patient who is 20 years old.
“We’re seeing younger age ranges being admitted to the hospital setting,” Hubbard said.
The top administrator at CoxHealth, Steve Edwards, confirmed his Springfield hospital is seeing the same trend.
Dr. Randall Williams, who leads Missouri's Department of Health and Senior Services, implored young people this week to wear masks, wash their hands, and practice safe distancing.
Most Missourians who have died from COVID-19 have been older than 60, according to the Missouri COVID-19 Dashboard. But the higheset number of cases in the state are in people ages 20-34.
