Approximately 260 American children are receiving hospital care due to COVID-19, a 30% increase from last week.
The surge is particularly pronounced in New York City, where the omicron variant accounts for about 90% of all new infections. Just 22 pediatric COVID-19 hospitalizations were recorded there in the week ending on December 11th. Two weeks later, that number rose to 109, a 395% increase.
“Of the 5- to 11-year-old children admitted to New York City hospitals with COVID from the week of December 5 until the current week, none were fully vaccinated,” reports ABC’s local affiliate.
“The risks of COVID-19 for children are real,” acting State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said. “We are alerting New Yorkers to this recent striking increase in pediatric COVID-19 admissions so that pediatricians, parents and guardians can take urgent action to protect our youngest New Yorkers.”
“We need to get child vaccinations up. We need to get them higher than they are, particularly in the 5- to 11-year-old age group,” she added.
“The vaccine is so much safer than getting the virus itself,” New York Presbyterian chief pediatrician Dr. Sallie Permar told CBS News. “And so giving your child the vaccine keeps them safer than letting them get infected with this virus without any immunity from a vaccine.”
Roughly 27% of 5- to 11-year-olds in New York are vaccinated. The national vaccination rate for children is even lower – just 23%
New York Governor Kathy Hochul urged parents to get their children jabbed. “We have the supply. We have the capacity. We have the staff in place for every child to be vaccinated who is eligible,” Hochul said.
Hochul added that schools will make every effort to stay open amid the latest COVID-19 surge.
“Most cases are not being transmitted in schools,” Hochul said. “Children are wearing their masks. We want more vaccinated. We want them boosted at some point as soon as possible, but we understand that it’s not a good option to say children are going to be returning home again.”
