Covid-19 cases have been increasing in America for the last few months, with weekly hospitalization cases being triple what they were two months ago. Elders have the largest rate of COVID inpatients so far, but cases of COVID among children, particularly those under the age of 5, are increasing highly.
According to data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 20,500 citizens in the US were hospitalized with COVID-19 during the weekend of September 9, an increase of nearly 8% from the previous week.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a cardiologist, and professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University, said they have not seen this in a long time, but patients are becoming severely ill, and there must be a higher sense of urgency because deaths and hospitalizations are on the rise.
On Friday, a White House official confirmed rising infections and hospitalizations around the country but highlighted that levels are still lower than during previous COVID outbreaks. The government is also planning to increase messaging about flu, RSV, and COVID vaccines, particularly for high-risk populations like elders and small children.
The government officials said that they are seeing increases in some sections of the country, but we believe we are in the best position yet as we enter the fall season.
According to the most recent CDC data, more than half of new COVID-19 hospital admissions were among patients aged 70 and older, and more than two-thirds were among those aged 60 and older.
However, according to a new American Academy of Pediatrics review of federal statistics, hospital admissions among children are increasing faster than the national rate. The week ending September 9 saw nearly 1,200 kids brought to hospitals with Covid-19, a five-fold rise over the previous three months. Adult hospitalizations nearly tripled within the same time span.
Admissions among children remain lower than during prior pandemics. According to the AAP data, there were almost 1,800 new children admitted per week during the peak of last winter’s wave and more than 6,500 weekly hospitalizations during Omicron.
Federal Data on COVID-19
The federal data shows that children accounted for 6% of all COVID-19 inpatient stays during the week ending September 9. According to the AAP investigation, children under the age of five were the most vulnerable, accounting for over half of all pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations.
This increase in hospitalizations, particularly among the youngest children, is very concerning. We are aware that this age group has the lowest vaccination rates. said Dr. Sandy L. Chung, president of the AAP. We currently have improved COVID-19 vaccines that can assist children’s immune systems in learning to identify and resist the virus, especially the strain that is currently circulating. The virus is still present, and I would advise parents to consult with their specialists about how to safeguard their children.
Vaccination rates for children have constantly trailed. According to CDC data, when the public health emergency concluded in May, less than 1% of children under the age of five had gotten the bivalent booster, and less than 10% of children aged 5 to 17 were given it.
For the time being, the majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations are clustered in the South. Florida had the highest hospitalization rate of any state (11 per 100,000 persons in one week), accounting for approximately 11% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in the first week of September.
Following Washington, DC, Florida had the greatest rate of hospital admissions, with approximately 10 per 100,000 people admitted in a single week. West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas are also among the states with the highest rates of hospitalization.
On Friday, U.S. government officials said that they are working with stakeholders, community, and digital outreach, as well as with healthcare providers and physicians. The administration said earlier this week that Covidtests.gov would be restored on Monday for households to seek four free Coronavirus tests.
We will encourage all Americans to receive those boosters in addition to flu shots, as well as the RSV vaccine for adults over 60 and newborns, according to a White House official. Pfizer and Moderna are rolling out improved COVID-19 vaccines across the country, which are suggested for all children 6 months and older.
Cohen said that it is important for us to know the risks, and do you want to connect with those older people who have a chance of contracting COVID? He said that we have all the resources, we must utilize them.
Also Read: CDC Comes Up With The First Vaccine to Shield Newborn from RSV
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