(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — With over 26.5 million Americans infected with COVID-19 — more than 450,000 of them dead according to Johns Hopkins University — a new study researched what caused the infectious virus to become so widespread in America.
According to Imperial College London, young Americans infected the majority of the population. The study claims those between the age of 20 and 49 have contributed 72.2 percent of all COVID-19 cases.
Those between 35 to 49 account for 41 percent of the spread.
The study also looked into the likelihood of children transmitting the virus and found reopening schools did not impact communities, finding less than five percent of all cases linked to children under the age of 9.
Less than 10 percent of kids aged 10 to 19 were responsible for the virus’ spread.
As for the driving factor behind the new infections, the study marked the amount of movement in the communities.
On the plus side, the Department of Health and Human Services verified that more Americans have obtained a COVID-19 vaccine than those infected by the virus.
Vaccination efforts have increased first vaccine dose patients to 27.1 million, which is roughly eight percent of the population.
Despite the promising news, the Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday revised its predicted death toll again, saying the nation could suffer up to 534,000 COVID-19 deaths by the end of this month.
Although the CDC remained hopeful that vaccination efforts will slow the death rate, the organization predicts 11,300 to 22,600 new fatalities by February 27.
In addition, health officials are begging Americans not to gather for Super Bowl parties this weekend and spark new super spreader events.
Dr. Anthony Fauci went a step further, said people should “absolutely not” be anywhere near a Super Bowl party this weekend — hosting or attending — because of the alarming new variants spreading across the nation.
“Watch the Super Bowl on TV, enjoy it, have a party in your house with your family with the people who are there,” he told ABC News. “You don’t want parties with people that you haven’t had that much contact with, you just don’t know if they’re infected. So as difficult as that is, at least this time around, just lay low and cool it.”