Nearly 60% of all Americans and 75% of kids have been infected by the coronavirus

After omicron winter surge, CDC finds nearly 60% of all Americans and 75% of kids have been infected by the coronavirus By the end of February, nearly 60% of all Americans and 75% of kids had antibodies indicating a prior coronavirus infection, CDC study finds. Karen Weintraub USA TODAY

A huge proportion of American adults and even more children were infected by the coronavirus between December and February, perhaps explaining why cases have risen but not skyrocketed since.

New government data, released Tuesday, looked at blood drawn for medical purposes during that timeframe and found antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19 in nearly 60% of people, up from one-third just three months earlier.

In adults under 50, 37% had antibodies in December, compared with 64% in February; in those 50-64, antibody presence rose from 29% to 50%; and in adults 65-and-older it climbed from 19% to 33%.

The increase was highest among the youngest. In children, the antibody rate rose from about 45% to 75%.

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