Trends in age distribution of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by race in the United States
COVID-19 cases are quickly growing across the United States with numerous states reporting that the proportion of cases among young people is ballooning. COVID-19 data are typically presented cumulatively and by only one demographic characteristic. Understanding and communicating complex demographic trends is imperative to recognize population-level vulnerabilities and inform tailored public health responses. Using the latest COVID-19 Case Surveillance Public Use Data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we aim to: a) assess one dimension of reporting quality-- data completeness; and b) examine national time-trends in the age pattern of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths overall as well as by race and ethnicity. Reporting of race and ethnicity in COVID-19 cases has been persistently poor, multiple months into the pandemic. Our analysis also shows unequal and changing age-patterns among cases, hospitalizations, and deaths by race and ethnicity. Age-pattern differences between whites and other races are widening.