COVID-19 News: Increased Severity in Children with BA.2 Variant
Recent findings from Hong Kong suggest that the BA.2 omicron variant may pose a greater risk of severe illness in children compared to other variants. Despite only recording four pediatric deaths during this surge, preliminary data indicates that BA.2 is more likely to result in ICU admissions and fatalities among children than previous COVID-19 strains, influenza, or parainfluenza (a virus known to cause croup).
According to researchers in a preprint study published by a medical journal, the severity of the BA.2 variant is concerning, especially among unvaccinated children. The study has yet to undergo peer review or be published officially, but the data points to an urgent need for increased vaccination among children. Currently, only 27.3% of children aged 5 to 11 in the U.S. are fully vaccinated, as reported by the CDC. Notably, all children who succumbed to COVID-19 in Hong Kong were unvaccinated and had no prior infections. Their ages ranged from 11 months to 9 years, with one child suffering from muscular dystrophy and two others dying from neurological issues.
Between February 5 and February 28 of this year, 1,147 children in Hong Kong were hospitalized with COVID-19, a stark contrast to the 737 hospitalized from January 1, 2020, to November 1, 2021. This trend highlights both the initial success of Hong Kong in curbing the virus and the recent surge in cases. Children hospitalized with BA.2 were more likely to develop croup, experience febrile seizures, and face higher chances of ICU admission and death compared to those infected with earlier variants, or other respiratory viruses. The fatality rate for children infected with BA.2 was found to be 0.35%, compared to 0.05% for influenza and 0.04% for parainfluenza, with no reported fatalities among children with earlier COVID-19 variants.
Given the low infection rates in Hong Kong prior to the BA.2 surge, it remains difficult to gauge the implications for the U.S. Dr. Emily Carter, a pediatric infectious disease expert, noted that many children in the U.S. may have been exposed to earlier variants, which complicates the analysis. Treatment options for children are also more limited than for adults.
While the risk of COVID-19 in children remains relatively low, the statistics from Hong Kong are alarming. If you have been considering vaccination for a child aged 5 to 11, it may be wise to schedule an appointment soon. For more insights on fertility and home insemination, you can check out this related post. Additionally, for comprehensive information on this topic, visit Intracervical Insemination and explore this excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination.
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In summary, while the overall risk of severe COVID-19 illness in children remains low, recent findings indicate that the BA.2 variant poses a greater threat than previous variants. Vaccination remains crucial for safeguarding children’s health against this evolving virus.