The Florida Department of Health has confirmed that an 18-year-old is the youngest person in Orange County to die from complications related to COVID-19.
The person had underlying health conditions, but county epidemiologist Alvina Chu says it’s a reminder that young people can still get serious cases of the disease.
“This particular case, this youngest person that we now have who has recently died, highlights the urgency of individuals for all of us, even those in the younger age groups, to get vaccinated and to stay on guard and continue our pandemic precautions,” Chu says.
Two-dose vaccines are approved for emergency use for ages 16 and older.
In addition, Chu recommends people continue to practice good pandemic precautions including wearing face masks, washing hands and social distancing to protect themselves and others.
“So, we know that there can be severe consequences for those who have underlying health conditions. We do know that young persons can still pass away. And we do know that the COVID-19 vaccines that we have are excellent at preventing severe hospitalization and death,” Chu says.
Chu recommends that people should continue to wear masks in large groups even if they are outdoors, to protect high-risk groups for the disease.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says fully vaccinated Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers, and those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some situations.
Florida Surgeon General Scott Rivkees also issued a recent state health advisory saying said due to the widespread availability of vaccines, fully vaccinated people should no longer be advised to wear masks or avoid crowds.
