If the recent news from health officials is to be taken into account, child hospitalizations are rising. There have been over 2,100 hospitalizations pertaining to children in U.S. hospitals. Coronavirus cases in the U.S. have reached peak levels and are all set to increase more in the upcoming new year.
Child Covid Is On The Rise – Massive Hospitalizations In The Us
Pediatric hospitalizations are also showing record figures. Last week, more than a few lacs of children tested positive for the virus. It is up by almost half since December. The hospitalizations amongst the children are rising substantially.
Going by the data released by Federal agencies, more than 2,100 children are already hospitalized and 800 have probably tested positive on and above this figure. The data is quite threatening for children.
A growing number of young patients are being hospitalized, and that is a huge cause for concern for healthcare officials. According to the Associate professor, Dr. Kenneth Remy, the states are on fire.
Daily pediatric admissions have been increased over the last four weeks, starting December. The rate has increased by around 110%. An average figure of almost 300 children has been admitted daily.
Health experts have stated that there are a number of factors that have influenced this trend. The first reasons were the Delta variant, which has very quickly been followed by the Omicron, giving very little time to the families to run for cover. Moreover, the children are not vaccinated in a manner similar to adults.
The ages 5-17 years have not been fully vaccinated. And that seems to be the main reason for the rising figures. Six states have reported more than 100 children being hospitalized in several U.S. hospitals.
At the state level, New York has seen a lot of admissions. The activities of the parents may be subsequently blamed. New York City has seen a five-fold increase in just around three weeks; the state health minister has reportedly stated.
There is no reason to panic yet, as health officials believe. The state health commissioner has just urged to keep the children indoors and get them vaccinated. The winter break or holidays may be the best time to do so.
Georgia, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas have seen a massive surge in pediatric hospitalizations. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia has seen a sharp increase in children’s positivity rate.
These reports point towards the fact that the Omicron variant is not discriminating and attacking anything an anyone in its path. Doctors ate the hospitals are seeing mediocre to severe infection in children who have not been vaccinated.
In Ohio alone, more than 200 have been admitted to the hospitals. Dayton’s Children’s Hospital staff has reported these figures. There has been a high rate of infection amongst children, as stated by the healthcare fraternity.
However, doctors are not yet able to point out how severe it can get over the new year. Children are being attacked in a harder way today. The doctors like Dr. Mezoff, from Dayton’s Children’s Hospital, have kept everything on observation mode to ascertain the damage.
In South Africa, where it all started, almost 20% higher risk in children was observed at the peak of the surge. The main reason was that, the maximum number of children were unvaccinated.
Dr. Anthony Fauci has also asked everyone to keep a close watch on children from 5-11 years of age. Getting the children vaccinated may be the only way to decrease the severity of the disease. Severe illness has not been observed but cannot be ruled out completely.
According to CDC, children from 5-11 years can get severely affected and can even lead to fatalities. The only way to stop the surge is vaccination.