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As vaccination rates lag and the new delta variant increases, COVID infection rates in children have increased and children’s hospitals see increased medical care needs in young patients, NBC reports News.
Several doctors in the half-dozen children’s hospitals that NBC News has contacted to say they have seen children infected because a member of their household, often a parent, is bringing the coronavirus home. Often, this is because an adult in the home is not vaccinated.
Combined with the increase in off-season respiratory illnesses among children this summer, bed shortages and overworked doctors and nurses in children’s hospitals are becoming commonplace. This remains of particular concern as children under 12 remain the most vulnerable to COVID as they are not yet able to get vaccinated.
“We’re also a trauma center, so we have to be available for kids who have car crashes and things like that,” said Dr Trey Dunbar, president of Our Lady of the Lake Hospital. “My fear is that with our staff shortage, if this increase continues, how will we continue to care for the children we need beds for? “
Read the full article on NBCNews.com
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