Is the delta variant of the coronavirus worse for kids?

3 years ago 297

Is the delta variant worse for kids than the archetypal virus?(AP Illustration/Peter Hamlin)

No, experts accidental there's nary beardown grounds yet that it makes children and teens sicker than earlier versions of the virus, though delta has led to a surge successful infections among kids due to the fact that it's much contagious.

Delta's quality to dispersed much easy makes it much of a hazard to children and underscores the request for masks successful schools and vaccinations for those who are aged enough, said Dr. Juan Dumois, a pediatric infectious illness doc astatine Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital successful St. Petersburg, Florida.

Weekly corruption rates among U.S. children earlier this period topped 250,000, surpassing the wintertime peak, according to information from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Children’s Hospital Association. Since the pandemic began, much than 5 cardinal children successful the U.S. person tested affirmative for COVID-19.

The delta variant has been identified successful astatine slightest 180 countries, according to the World Health Organization. In galore of them, the spike successful infections has besides meant an summation successful hospitalizations successful young children and teens.

In the U.S., the hospitalization complaint for COVID-19 was little than 2 per 100,000 children successful precocious August and aboriginal September — akin to the highest past winter, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the information of kids hospitalized with terrible illness hasn’t changed significantly.

The sheer numbers tin marque it look similar children are getting sicker with the delta variant, but experts accidental that does not look to beryllium the case. Most infected kids person mild infections oregon nary symptoms and bash not request to beryllium hospitalized.

COVID-19 vaccines proceed to supply extortion against delta. Among children 12 and older — who are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations — the play hospitalization complaint successful July was 10 times higher for the unvaccinated than those who person had the shots, CDC information show.

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