Pediatric Cases Spike To Nearly 240%; Children Less Likely To Die From Virus

COVID-19 infections have risen “exponentially” among children in the United States since July, according to data published Monday by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

COVID-19 cases among children continue to increase across the country. (Photo: Reuters)

COVID-19 Cases Among Children Increased To Nearly 240%

In a recently published article in MSN News, the agency reported 243,373 new cases among youngsters in the previous week. While the number of cases is down from last week’s total of 251,781, it marks a 240 percent increase since early July, and children were responsible for 71,726 cases.

COVID-19 instances among children have risen dramatically to over 500,000 cases in the last two weeks, according to the AAP. The new information is being released as school begins throughout the country, and physicians are urging adults to be vaccinated to protect children under the age of 12 who are not eligible for the vaccination.

As of Thursday, almost 5.3 million children have tested positive for COVID-19, accounting for 29 percent of all cases reported nationwide, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics in a recently published news article in News Opener. 

Read Also: COVID-19: Thousands Of Schools Closed Due To Surge Of Pediatric Coronavirus Cases

Children Rarely Die From COVID-19

In children, COVID-19 is considerably less likely to cause serious illness or death than it is in adults. In jurisdictions that track hospitalizations by age, children make from 1.6 percent to 4% of those admitted for COVID-19. Adults, on the other hand, are urged to be vaccinated in order to safeguard their children.

In a published article in Times News Network, in the states that keep track of deaths by age, children accounted for just 0.27 percent of all deaths. In seven states, there have been no child deaths. As of Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has counted 523 deaths among those under the age of 18 in the United States. For COVID-19, preteens and adolescents had the lowest vaccination rates of any age group.

Meanwhile, according to studies that looked at hospital admissions and reported deaths throughout England, COVID-19 had a lower risk of dying or requiring intensive care among children and young adults than previously thought.

When Will Vaccines for Children Be Available?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Monday, 63 percent of the eligible population in the United States – those aged 12 and above – was fully vaccinated. According to health professionals and officials, the vast majority of the population is anticipated to be vaccinated.

Vaccinations for children may be accessible by Halloween, according to Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a Pfizer board member and former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Pfizer plans to have data on vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11 available to the FDA by the end of September, according to a statement made on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, announced Monday that the public health agency is working on a COVID-19 vaccination for younger children, which she expects to be ready by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the FDA has advised parents not to vaccinate their children until they have received FDA approval.

Related Article: COVID-19 Update: Pediatric Cases In Arkansas Increase, Hospitalizations Continue To Drop