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Alabama officials have encouraged all eligible state residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19 as the contagious Delta variant spreads, with nine state children currently hospitalized, according to the Alabama Hospital Association .
The number is not necessarily out of proportion to the total number of hospitalizations, officials said. According to AHA, 393 Alabamiens are currently hospitalized. But a child is currently on a ventilator at the Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham, according to an official.
The number of hospitalizations statewide is up from around 250 last week, with the number of reported infections also rising. Alabama has not seen as many COVID-19-related hospitalizations reported since March.
Read more: Alabama health officials encourage vaccines before school starts
Dr David Kimberlin, co-director of the division of pediatric infectious diseases at UAB and Children of Alabama, said on Friday he would call “unequivocally” on all eligible Alabamians, including children aged 12. years or older, to be vaccinated.
The Delta variant does not appear to be more deadly than the original strain of coronavirus, but is more contagious, according to health experts.
“We do not know as much as we need to know or as much as we will learn[surlavarianteDelta”adéclaréKimberlin”Àl’heureactuellenousn’avonspasdepreuvesqu’ilinfectelesenfantsàundegrédifférentdeceluidesadultesàl’heureactuellenousnesavonspasqu’ilsecomportedifféremmentchezlesenfantsparrapportauxadultes;thisestdéjàassezgravechezlesadultesetnousconstatonségalementlemêmegenredeméchancetéchezlesenfants[abouttheDeltavariant”Kimberlinsaid”Atthecurrenttimewedon’thaveevidencethatitinfectschildrentoavaryingdegreethanitinfectsadultsatthecurrenttimewedon’tknowittobebehavingdifferentlyinchildrencomparedtoadults;it’sbadenoughinadultsandwe’reseeingthesamekindofbadnessinchildrenaswell”[surlavarianteDelta”adéclaréKimberlin«Àl’heureactuellenousn’avonspasdepreuvesqu’ilinfectelesenfantsàundegrédifférentdeceluidesadultesàl’heureactuellenousnesavonspasqu’ilsecomportedifféremmentchezlesenfantsparrapportauxadultes;c’estdéjàassezgravechezlesadultesetnousconstatonségalementlemêmegenredeméchancetéchezlesenfants[abouttheDeltavariant”Kimberlinsaid“Atthecurrenttimewedon’thaveevidencethatitinfectschildrentoavaryingdegreethanitinfectsadultsatthecurrenttimewedon’tknowittobebehavingdifferentlyinchildrencomparedtoadults;it’sbadenoughinadultsandwe’reseeingthesamekindofbadnessinchildrenaswell”
Although the Delta variant appears to respond less to vaccines than other strains, the vaccine is still effective in reducing the risk of serious illness and death, he said.
Mississippi state health official Dr. Thomas Dobbs tweeted on Tuesday that there were seven children in intensive care with COVID-19, including two on ventilators. Coronavirus cases in the state have increased dramatically in recent days, Mississippi Today reported Tuesday.
Read more: Alabama remains last for vaccines. Here are the vaccination rates by county.
Kimberlin said he would ask children under the age of 12 and anyone else unable to get vaccinated to wear a mask and maintain social distancing. Federal officials have said vaccines should be available for young children at the end of the year, once clinical trials are completed.
Reporters Sarah Whites-Koditschek and Savannah Tryens-Fernandes contributed to this story.
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