Strategic COVID-19 Pandemic Committee

I'm 35 years old and not likely to die from COVID-19, so why should I have to follow all these rules?

COVID-19 Questions & Myths

Here’s a question many physicians are hearing from patients, friends, and neighbours. “I'm 35 years old and pretty healthy. I'm not likely to die from COVID-19, so why should I have to follow all these rules?” 

It is true that the original COVID-19 virus is most likely to cause death in those who are older and those with underlying medical conditions. As new variants emerge we are seeing faster spread, increased illness and death. The British Medical Journal has reported a study of the UK variant resulting in an increase in deaths from 2.5 to 4.1 per 1000 detected cases. We are still learning about variants and how their mutations spread faster from person to person, and more infections can result in more people getting very sick or dying.

Here are five good reasons why you should take precautions to protect yourself, your family, and friends.

One. You protect your health now and in the future.

Many otherwise healthy young people have reported short-, medium-, and long-term consequences from COVID-19 infection. While these are not serious enough to require hospitalization, they will keep you from returning to your normal activities and enjoying life. In some cases, these symptoms have lasted for months and may be permanent. See the Long COVID section for symptoms.

In all, 10-20% of people known to have had COVID-19 have gone on to suffer from Long COVID with the original virus.

Two. You protect yourself from hospitalization or worse.

Interestingly the average age of mortality from the original COVID-19 variant in Alberta is 82 (Range 20 to 107 years), but the average age of hospitalization with an ICU stay is 59 (Range 0-89 years). 1760 COVID-19 deaths in Alberta have been in the elderly, but there have been 97 fatalities in those under age 60, with nine of these in their twenties. It is also important to note that “comorbidities” associated with COVID-19 death include obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, all common in Alberta. Approximately 75% of North American adults having one or more risk factor for severe COVID-19 disease.

Protecting yourself against infection is even more important with the variant cases causing 50% of total cases (April 10, 2021) and climbing in Alberta. It is estimated that the UK variant is 40-70 percent more transmissible (easier to catch) and 55% deadlier. It is also causing more serious disease at younger ages with physicians reporting seeing otherwise healthy younger people getting sick more quickly and rapidly deteriorating to require ICU support.

Trust me, no one who has ever stayed in an ICU wants to go back again, ever. You may be more at risk of a serious outcome than you think, and even if the risk of death is low in your age range, it is not zero. Why take the chance of getting COVID-19 in the first place?

Three. You protect others.

Each day you may come in to contact with elderly people or people with underlying medical conditions and if you transmit COVID-19 to them you could be responsible for harming them and causing suffering to the people who love them. You could also infect another young friend or neighbour, who in turn infects their grandparent or a close friend who has diabetes or obesity and harm them. How responsible would you feel? Since some infectious people have no or mild symptoms and can unknowingly spread the virus, it is best for everyone to follow the precautions all the time. We also have variant strains of COVID-19 now in Alberta which means the virus spreads more easily.

The greater Albertan population has not been immunized yet. As of April 9, 2021 only 163,532 Albertans are fully immunized with both doses.

Four. You can get back to your normal life sooner.

The more people follow the rules, the faster we get COVID-19 under control. The faster we get it under control, the sooner we can all get back to our normal lives.

Five. You are a moral and ethical person.

Following the rules means we protect the health and lives of ourselves and others. What in our life is more important than that?

References:
i. Risk of mortality in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern 202012/1: matched cohort study, British Medical Journal
ii. New Variants of Coronavirus: What You Should Know, Johns Hopkins Medicine
iii. COVID-19 Vaccine Program, Alberta Health