[ad_1]
Greenville, North Carolina – Health care experts in eastern North Carolina first said during the coronavirus pandemic, large numbers of children in the United States are becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 due to the Delta variant.
A doctor on the front lines of the coronavirus fight said the coming weeks could see an increase in the number of underage hospital patients in North Carolina.
“I don’t think North Carolina will be spared from this,” said Maynard Children’s Hospital chief pediatrician, Dr. Matthew Ledoux. “I think we’re just seeing our push a little later than some of the other states.”
Experts have said the United States is entering a disturbing new phase of the pandemic, and that it is hitting a population who, so far, have not seen the worst of the coronavirus.
“What we do know from the data coming out is that the Delta variant of COVID affects children more often and also more severely,” Ledoux said.
Health officials told WRAL News that over the past two weeks, states like Texas, Louisiana and Florida have seen an increase in the number of children requiring hospitalization and intensive care with COVID-19 . But even in eastern North Carolina, where vaccination rates are among the lowest in the state, hospitalizations from COVID-19 among children have remained low.
Only four children were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the eastern and southeastern part of the state during the week of August 2-9, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services.
At Maynard Children’s Hospital in Greenville, this trend has started to change.
“Very recently we saw a couple of very sick children with acute COVID in intensive care,” Ledoux said.
He said that as the total number of hospitalizations in North Carolina increased, he expected to see more children become critically ill with the Delta variant, and the effect could be amplified by the return of the children. at school this fall.
“We know what children can do: some of them might get sick, some might get sick, and we don’t want any child to be in the intensive care unit or potentially die from this disease. ”Said Ledoux.
Out of concern for the children’s mental health, the hospital has recommended that they resume in-person learning this year. But health officials have also insisted that children wear masks at school to reduce the expected flare-up.
“Our fear is that if we lose a child to this virus, it is going to be devastating for our region,” Ledoux said. “So we’re doing our best to prevent that from happening. “
Ledoux added that the best thing parents could do to protect their children aged 12 and over was to get them vaccinated, but for younger children the best tool available was always to wear a mask, especially in a setting. school.
[ad_2]
Source link