Coronavirus Cases Could Soar in U.S. Counties with High Senior Populations

The susceptibility of older people to infection, serious complications, and death from COVID-19 is troubling, and a USA Today analysis found that in 341 counties — 11 percent of all U.S. counties — at least a quarter of residents are 65 or older. Meanwhile, the Census estimates that only 16 percent of the national population is over 65. Texas has the most number of senior-heavy counties with 27, followed by Nebraska, Michigan, Montana, Florida, and North Carolina. In addition, 83 percent of senior-heavy counties are classified by the Census as rural, which means their residents are farther from medical and social services. Many healthcare specialists are very worried that high rates of contagion in such counties could be catastrophic, particularly in regions where getting help often means long trips to lightly staffed and equipped centers. "Rural America is older, sicker, and poorer," said National Rural Health Association CEO Alan Morgan. "Now combine that with 2,000 rural hospitals where 1,300 have 25 or fewer beds, half of which have just one ventilator on site. Our system was designed for efficiency, not surge capacity." Another major problem for rural seniors during the pandemic is sporadic broadband access, which is crucial for telemedicine visits.