When we see data showing in hospital mortality for Covid patients aged 35-44 of almost 5% we should keep in mind — that’s exceptionally high; especially since criteria for admission is generally just an oxygen saturation below 93%. Many of these young people are otherwise healthy

To provide some rough basis for comparison, the in hospital death rate for pneumonia across all age groups is 3.3% — and this CDC data is skewed heavily toward elderly patients who are more likely to be admitted for pneumonia.

Here’s data on hospitalizations for ordinary pneumonia; they skew heavily toward older cohorts. On a relative basis to comparable diagnoses, that almost 5% in hospital death rate for 35-44 year-olds with Covid disease represents a lot of excess mortality https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6133a4.htm?s_cid=mm6133a4_w

Same can be said for in hospital death rates for Covid disease across other younger age bands; 45-54, 25-34. These are high in-hospital mortality rates, especially considering admission criteria is typically an O2 saturation below 93. Young people shouldn't die of viral pneumonia

Here are hospitalization rates by age for ordinary pneumonia. It skews much older -- putting the 3.3% death rate observed for all comers with ordinary pneumonia in relative perspective to the in hospital Covid mortality rates for younger age cohorts that require hospitalization.