With the delta variant now dominating COVID-19 infections across the U.S., the number of cases and hospitalizations is rising in every state. Alarmingly, this variant appears to lead to more severe illness in children, who had previously been less affected by earlier strains of the virus. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently reported that nearly 72,000 children and teens tested positive last week, marking an 84% surge from the previous week.
Between July 22 and July 29, the AAP recorded 71,726 new cases among this demographic. This is a significant jump from just under 39,000 during the prior week and nearly five times the number of infections seen at the end of June. “This is a concerning trend, especially now that vaccinations are available. It indicates that unvaccinated individuals are increasingly susceptible to infection due to the heightened transmissibility of the Delta variant,” explained Dr. Sarah Jenkins, chair of the AAP committee on infectious diseases.
Currently, children represent approximately 19% of the total COVID-19 cases in the nation. Definitions of what constitutes a child vary by state, typically including individuals up to 17 or 18 years old. This alarming news surfaces as schools prepare to reopen for the fall semester, many doing so without any mask mandates. In fact, several states have prohibited mask requirements in schools, despite their effectiveness in protecting students, particularly those under 12, who are ineligible for the vaccine. In Texas, Governor Mark Rodriguez banned mask mandates in schools, a move quickly mirrored by governors in states like Georgia and Florida.
While vaccines are being tested for children as young as six months, availability for those under 12 is still several months away. On a positive note, the AAP has indicated that severe cases of COVID-19 remain rare among children. Although they account for nearly 20% of all cases, they represent only 1.3-3.5% of hospitalizations, depending on the state. The CDC has recorded 526 child fatalities in the U.S. since the pandemic began.
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In summary, the surge in COVID-19 cases among children and adolescents is alarming, particularly with the rise of the Delta variant. As schools prepare to reopen, the absence of mask mandates in several states raises concerns for the safety of unvaccinated children. While severe cases remain infrequent, the rise in infections highlights the ongoing risks as we navigate this pandemic.
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