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Hospitalizations due to coronavirus infections have been on the rise in the United States in recent months, with weekly hospitalizations now more than triple what they were two months ago. Although the elderly have the highest rate of hospitalization due to COVID-19, hospitalizations of children, especially children under the age of five, are rapidly increasing.
More than 20,500 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States in the week ending Sept. 9, an increase of about 8% from the previous week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a CNN medical analyst, cardiologist and professor of medicine and surgery at George Washington University, said, “We haven’t seen anything like this in months, but we’re seeing more and more critically ill patients in the hospital. We’re starting to see it being carried.” “With the number of deaths and hospitalizations rising, we need a greater sense of urgency.”
On Friday, White House officials acknowledged the rise in cases and hospitalizations nationwide, but noted that levels remain lower than during past coronavirus surges. The Biden administration is also preparing to ramp up messaging about influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and coronavirus vaccines, including for high-risk populations such as the elderly and young children.
“We’re tracking the uptick in some parts of the country, but we still think we’re in the strongest position heading into the fall,” a White House official told CNN.
According to the latest data from the CDC, nationally, more than half of new hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are over the age of 70, and more than two-thirds are over the age of 60.
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But a new analysis of federal data by the American Academy of Pediatrics shows that hospitalizations of children are increasing at a faster-than-average pace. Nearly 1,200 children were admitted to hospital with coronavirus in the week to September 9, a five-fold increase in the past three months. Adult hospitalizations nearly tripled over the same period.
Child enrollment remains below past pandemic peaks. At the peak of the outbreak last winter, there were about 1,800 new pediatric admissions per week, and more than 6,500 per week during Omicron, according to an AAP analysis.
Children accounted for 6% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in the week ending Sept. 9, according to federal data. The AAP analysis also found that children under the age of 5 were most at risk, accounting for about half of all pediatric hospitalizations due to COVID-19.
“The increase in hospitalizations, especially among our youngest children, is extremely concerning,” said AAP President Dr. Sandy L. Chan. “We know that this age group has the lowest vaccination rates. Now that we have updated our COVID-19 vaccines, this means that children’s immune systems have been The virus is still out there, so we encourage parents to talk with their pediatricians about ways to protect their families. .”
Child immunization rates consistently lag. When the public health emergency ended in May, less than 1% of children under 5 years of age received a bivalent booster, and 10% of children between 5 and 17 years of age received a bivalent booster, according to CDC data. It was less than %.
As the United States heads into respiratory virus season, the novel coronavirus remains the primary virus of concern, representing nearly all virus-related hospitalizations since the beginning of the year. However, levels of RSV are beginning to rise in most areas of the United States.
Dr. Susan WorleyThe head of hospital medicine at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., said that since early September, the number of hospitalized patients testing positive for all respiratory viruses, including the novel coronavirus, has increased.
“Unfortunately, it is not unusual to see an increase in children hospitalized with respiratory symptoms at the beginning of the school year. It shows their sexuality,” the statement said.
For now, hospitalizations due to the new coronavirus remain concentrated in the south. Florida’s hospitalization rate is higher than any other state, at 11 per 100,000 people per week, and Florida accounted for about 11% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in the first week of September. It was a state.
After Florida, Washington, D.C., had the highest hospitalization rate, at about 10 per 100,000 people per week. Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and West Virginia also have the highest hospitalization rates.
The CDC’s guidance on masks is based on hospitalization metrics, and more than half of Florida’s counties fall into the category where masks are recommended for all high-risk individuals. Her more than 20 counties in Arkansas, Kentucky, Texas and Georgia also fall into this category. Overall, masks are recommended for high-risk people in at least one in eight counties.
Despite recent increases, the number of hospitalizations due to coronavirus infections remains at about half of last winter’s peak. Virus levels are starting to fall in parts of the country, particularly in the south, and the pace of growth is starting to slow across the country.
Changes in testing methods have made the number of infected people less reliable, but tracking virus levels in wastewater could help determine the extent of infections. It had been on an upward trend nationwide since late June, but began to decline in September. The decline was most pronounced in the south, where virus concentrations fell by about 25% in the first two weeks of the month.
But weekly hospitalization rates will continue to rise and will most likely double by the season’s peak in December, according to a CDC forecast model.
The Biden administration said Friday it is working to support communities, stakeholders, including doctors and other health care providers, and digital support.The government announced earlier this week Covidtests.gov Requests for four free COVID-19 tests for households will resume on Monday.
We are also preparing to strengthen our messaging about COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines.
“We will encourage all Americans to get a booster shot in addition to their influenza shot, as well as to vaccinate people over 60 and young children against respiratory syncytial virus,” a White House official said.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen have both taken to the airwaves to emphasize the importance of vaccines. Cohen stressed on CNN on Friday that there are safe and effective strategies to reduce the risk, including washing hands, staying home when sick, improving ventilation, wearing masks and getting vaccinated.
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Influenza vaccines are already widely available at pharmacies and clinics. first time, Vaccine against RSV is available for people over 60 years oldand the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently mother’s vaccine and antibody products Something that can protect young children.
The latest Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are is starting to unfold It is sold nationwide and is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age.
“It’s important to know your own risks,” Cohen says. “Are there people around you who are elderly or have underlying health conditions? Next, you should use more layers of protection.
“The fact is, we have the tools and we need to use them.”
CNN’s Jen Christensen and John Bonifield contributed to this report.