Young people, mental health and COVID-19 infection: the canaries we put in the coal mine.

The number of people testing positive for Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) in the UK, particularly among young adults, is increasing. We report here on the mental health of young adults and related psychological and behavioural responses to the pandemic and consider the role of these factors in fuelling the increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in this group. An online survey was completed during the first six weeks of the first UK-wide lockdown by 3097 respondents, including data for 364 respondents aged 18–24 years. The survey included measures of mental health and indices capturing related psychological and behavioural responses to the pandemic. The mental health of 18- to 24-years-olds in the first 6 weeks of lockdown was significantly poorer than that of older respondents and previously published norms: with 84% reporting symptoms of depression and 72% reporting symptoms of anxiety. Young adults also reported significantly greater loneliness and reduced positive mood, both of which were also associated with greater mental health difficulties. We contend that the combination of mental health, social and economic considerations may have contributed to the rise of COVID-19 infections in young adults, and ascribing blame to this group will not aid our efforts to regain control of the disease. • The UK has witnessed an exponential rise in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections, particularly among young adults. It has been assumed that this is occurring due to poorer engagement in risk reduction behaviours by young people. • We demonstrate that the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been significantly greater in young adults and is strongly associated with increased loneliness and lower positive mood. We suggest that these factors, combined with the social and economic circumstances of young adults, have increased their risk of infection. We propose that containing the spread of COVID-19 among the young will require a recognition of these factors and is ill-served by a culture of blame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]