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Is the delta variant of the coronavirus worse for kids?

Delta's ability to spread more easily makes it more of a risk to children and underscores the need for masks in schools and vaccinations for those who are old enough, said Dr Juan Dumois, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St Petersburg, Florida.

AP Edited by: AP Washington Published on: September 23, 2021 22:46 IST
Is the delta variant of the coronavirus worse for kids?
Image Source : AP

Weekly infection rates among US children earlier this month topped 250,000, surpassing the wintertime peak, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Children's Hospital Association. (Representational Image)

Experts say there's no strong evidence that it makes children and teens sicker than earlier versions of the virus, although delta has led to a surge in infections among kids because it's more contagious.

Delta's ability to spread more easily makes it more of a risk to children and underscores the need for masks in schools and vaccinations for those who are old enough, said Dr Juan Dumois, a pediatric infectious disease physician at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital in St Petersburg, Florida.

Weekly infection rates among US children earlier this month topped 250,000, surpassing the wintertime peak, according to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Children's Hospital Association. Since the pandemic began, more than 5 million children in the US have tested positive for COVID-19.

The delta variant has been identified in at least 180 countries, according to the World Health Organisation. In many of them, the spike in infections has also meant an increase in hospitalizations in young children and teens.

In the US, the hospitalisation rate for COVID-19 was less than 2 per 100,000 children in late August and early September — similar to the peak last winter, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. But the portion of kids hospitalized with severe disease hasn't changed significantly.

The sheer numbers can make it seem like children are getting sicker with the delta variant, but experts say that does not appear to be the case. Most infected kids have mild infections or no symptoms and do not need to be hospitalised.

COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide protection against delta. Among children 12 and older — who are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations — the weekly hospitalisation rate in July was 10 times higher for the unvaccinated than those who have had the shots, CDC data show.

ALSO READ: COVID-19 vaccine certification for travel must meet ‘minimum criteria’: UK

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