More teens in Michigan test positive for COVID-19 after proms and parties as schools nationwide begin reopening

DETROIT – A rite of passage. A ritual, of sorts. Something to look forward to for so many young people.

Prom. Graduation. Summer.

But the coronavirus stripped the class of 2020 and other young people of a regular experience of those events, some of which have been anticipated for years.

It was a massive blow, especially after being in their homes for months with family because of stay-at-home or safer-at-home orders by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that were lifted at the beginning of June.

The rules loosened, and the party planning began.

Unofficial proms, grad parties, sleepovers, yard parties, gatherings at the lake and just hanging out with friends.

The problem is, health officials say, mask-wearing and social distancing went out the window. Now, they are seeing the number of positive COVID-19 cases in younger people on the rise in Michigan – as well as spots across the United States and the world.

"Evidence suggests that spikes of cases in some countries are being driven in part by younger people letting their guard down during the Northern Hemisphere summer," World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said July 30.

"We have said it before and we will say it again: Young people are not invincible. Young people can be infected; young people can die, and young people can transmit the virus to others," he said.

More:Younger people are a factor in surge of COVID-19 cases, analysis shows

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Kayleigh Blaney, an epidemiologist with Michigan's Oakland County Health Division agreed.

“You're not gonna stop kids 15 to 19 who are not in school, with nothing to do, from hanging out with each other," she said. "People are itching to get back to normal. I understand completely. I would love to get back to our old normal in time, but we are pushing ourselves to being more restricted again."

The Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY network, analyzed state coronavirus data. Findings show that after Whitmer's orders were starting to lift June 1, those in the 0- to 19-year-old age group began to see a slightly faster rise in COVID-19 cases.

Before June, children and teens mostly made up 1% to 3% of COVID-19 cases in Michigan. A month after the order lifted, July 1, that age group made up 3.9% of the cases. During the past two weeks, from July 21 to Aug. 7, the age group saw an increase in cases of almost 2 percentage points: 5.7% to 7.4%.

The number of cases for the 20- to 29-year-old demographic also surpassed those in their 40s on July 24. The 20-somethings are now almost at the same positive case level as the 50- to 59-year-olds at 16%. Cases among people older than 39 have been slowly making up a smaller percentage of the population, with 60- to 69-year-olds seeing the most improvement.

Teens across Michigan counties who test positive are typically in the 15- to 19-year-old age group, and their conditions range from asymptomatic to mild symptoms. Case numbers increased rapidly from late June to early August.

Blaney said photos on social media of some of the parties, such as one that had about 70 young people standing shoulder-to-shoulder in long gowns and suits, show: "There's not even a mask under a chin even in sight."

She said officials now are awaiting cases from parties held on or after July 31, with people starting to get sick and testing now.

“Events like graduation parties, proms, and house parties are contributing to this increase, but any type of large event or gathering where people fail to take appropriate precautions to stop the spread of COVID is a contributing factor,” said William Ridella, director/health officer for Michigan's Macomb County Health Department.

“We need everyone to make informed decisions on the type of events or gatherings they attend and socialize responsibly by wearing face coverings, practicing social distancing and washing their hands frequently. Currently, these are the only tools we have to break the chain of transmission," he said.

Lynn Sutfin, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said last week that graduation parties and unofficial proms are considered social gatherings, "and social gatherings make up the second most frequent setting for outbreaks."

She said long-term care facilities are the most frequent setting for outbreaks. 

"A big concern is that young people risk their own health and the health of those around them when engaging in social activities without taking precautions," Michigan's Livingston County Health Promotion Coordinator Natasha Radke said. "Actions like this continue to fuel the spread of COVID-19, as does not cooperating with local health departments to complete contact tracing."

A lack of cooperation in contact tracing continues to be a problem.

"Most people aren't willing to rat out their friends," Blaney said.

But, she said, young people need to know that their friends may not talk about their home situations, such as their grandmother with dementia or their 45-year-old mother who is undergoing radiation for breast cancer and is immunocompromised.

“Your friends don’t tell you everything, good or bad when it comes to everything in their life," she said. "You don't really know what's going on. By withholding contacts, you're really putting people at risk."

Also, she said, the long-term effects of the virus on the body, including a young person's, aren't known yet, though research is underway.

No social distancing or masks:Back-to-school photo shows unmasked students crowding shoulder-to-shoulder in Georgia

More:New York schools OK'd for in-person classes. Here's where nation's big districts stand on reopening.

The recent spike in teens testing positive for the virus increases concern among school reopening plans nationwide.

Across the country, school districts face delayed in-person instruction. And in some states, like Georgia or Tennessee, schools are already reporting positive cases shortly after reopening.

"Conferring with medical personnel from around the county regarding the recent spike of COVID-19 cases, there is a strong likelihood that, if the trend continues, we could be facing a forced shutdown after we begin face to face instruction," one Michigan public school district stated in a release.

Contributing: Wyatte Grantham-Philips, USA TODAY.

Follow Christina Hall on Twitter: @challreporter.

Follow Nisa Khan on Twitter: @mnisakhan.