[ad_1]
A child under 5 recently became the youngest to die of complications from COVID-19 in Orange County, health officials said on Friday.
The child’s death last month marks the second COVID-related pediatric death in the county. The first took place in August 2020, involving a 14-year-old girl. Both children had underlying medical issues.
Such cases are rare. But with the Delta variant affecting young people, it’s a reminder that the virus can strike at any age, health officials said.
“Everyone must do everything in our power to protect those who are most vulnerable in our communities, and especially those who are not yet eligible for vaccines,” said Dr Regina Chinsio-Kwong, officer. Deputy County Health Officer, at a weekly county press conference. .
More than 450,000 children in the county are not yet eligible for a vaccine and are at risk of catching the virus, she said.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends that anyone over the age of 12 get vaccinated to protect their health and help end the pandemic.
The Los Angeles Unified School District on Thursday became the largest K-12 school district in the country to require all students over 12 to be vaccinated. In Southern California, Culver City Unified last month became the first district in the state – and possibly the country – to force the same on its students. Families who retire are offered independent study programs off campus.
In Orange County, no school district requires COVID-19 vaccines. Santa Ana Unified, however, enforces weekly immunization tests for all of its staff and students. On Friday, September 10, the district kicked off the program with its first COVID-19 tests at Madison Elementary, where some 875 children had the inside of their cheeks swabbed.
The Delta variant, unlike previous Covid variants, has reached a greater number of young people. This is the most common variant seen locally, according to Chinsio-Kwong. There is a newer variant, called ‘Mu’, and local health authorities have seen 14 cases of it this summer, she said.
In Orange County, the number of cases has declined.
In the seven-day period ending September 8, the county’s case rate fell from 17.4 to 13.6 cases per 100,000 population, and the average number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose from 563 to 438 per day. County data shows similar declines in COVID-19-related hospitalizations and intensive care admissions.
[ad_2]
Source link