A new study about the coronavirus finds that obesity is linked to a higher risk of children getting a more severe illness from the virus.
Among a group of children and adolescents in New York who were hospitalized with the disease, about a fifth — 22% — were obese. Sixty-seven percent of these patients needed ventilation.
“Obesity was the most significant factor associated with mechanical ventilation in children two years and older,” the researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York, wrote.
The study included data on 50 young people, ages 21 and younger, who were diagnosed with coronavirus between March 1 and April 15 and hospitalized for at least a day or longer. None of the patients had a history of international travel around the time they were diagnosed. Fifty two percent lived with an adult family member who had symptoms of the virus.
MORE ON THE PANDEMIC
As U.S. deaths surpassed 100,000 from the coronavirus and protests ensue, signs are pointing to an end of the work of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. In addition to a lack of guidance for federal leaders on the risk of the demonstrations on health, members of the task force have begun drafting a final report highlighting the president’s response to the pandemic. The report is expected in coming weeks.
Americans in some cities who want to get tested for COVID-19 may have a hard time finding a testing location. Some testing sites have been forced to stop operations due to protests and violence in recent days. These closings could potentially hurt efforts to control the spread of the pandemic, especially in hard-hit African American communities.
In a battle over social distancing and returning to business-as-usual, Trump says he’s taking this year’s Republican National Convention from North Carolina to another state over potential coronavirus restrictions. Democratic North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has refused to guarantee that coronavirus restrictions wouldn’t affect the party’s convention.
Another 2.8 million jobs in the private sector were lost in May, according to the ADP national employment report. Large businesses with 500 employees or more lost the majority of that number, shedding 1.6 million jobs.
As more and more retailers crumble under the weight of the pandemic and close their doors, AMC Theatres, the world’s biggest movie theater chain, said that it is very doubtful that it can remain in business.
Due to public fears of the coronavirus, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order mandating mail-in ballots be sent to all registered voters in the state for the upcoming general election in November. County officials are also required to keep voting locations open to those who want to vote in person.
