The US CDC has been keeping a keen eye on the development strategies to curb the omicron variant cases amongst young kids. As per the reports, the new variant of covid 19 has been majorly targeting children and elderly people and especially those who are unvaccinated. The new variant of coronavirus is said to be less lethal as compared to its counterpart delta version, but it is highly contagious and the current condition of the United States is a live example of the same.
Rapid Surge Of Infections Results In Increasing Children Hospitalization
With more than 1.5 million daily cases, the United States is breaking its own record and as per the medical experts, the cases will further rise at a great pace and might touch 2 million per day cases in the upcoming days.
The rising cases amongst the younger kids especially between 12-15 are worrisome and keeping this situation in mind the US FDA approved emergency use of booster shots for this age group. On the other hand, the children between 2-4 years are also at risk and the worst part is that there is no approved vaccination for this age group.
According to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of hospitalization amongst the youngest children have reached their highest since the start of the pandemic and have surpassed last year’s winter wave.
Also, last week she stated in a press conference that It is very important to protect the younger kids and teens from the omicron Covid 19 infection because the children have a low immune system and the new strain directly targets people with low immunity power. Those children who are not yet eligible for the vaccination should protect themselves from the Covid by surrounding around vaccinated community”
According to the data available with the US CDC, the hospitalization rate is increasing in children below the age of 5 and has touched 4.3 percent. Although the mortality rate is not increasing very fast, medical experts are warning that if the cases will surge at this pace surely the death rates might add up to the current mortality rate in the US.
Furthermore, a few states in the Northeast and parts of the Midwest are reporting the highest number of hospitalizations amongst young children and the states are not able to curb the cases. Also, the rising cases are due to the low vaccination rate amongst the kids and the omicron variant can easily target the unvaccinated.
The CDC has been urging the parents to get eligible children to receive the vaccination as the vaccine is the only best method to keep your kids protected and safe from the attack of the new strain. The only way to protect and shield oneself against the deadly virus is by supporting the government by participating in the vaccination drives, said Walensky.
