According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, since July, coronavirus positive cases in children have steadily increased. Right now, dozens of children in Alabama are hospitalized with Covid.
It is stressing the pediatric care system, just like we are seeing throughout the rest of the health care system with adult cases surging.
Dr. Karen Landers Alabama Department of Public Health is a pediatrician and says this is not the same virus we saw last year and many of the treatments they are able to use on adults, are not available as treatments for younger people.
“Covid is going to find a place, it’s going to find a reservoir, it is going to find a vulnerable population, and that is really what we are looking at here especially with younger people who are not vaccinated and for kids who cannot be vaccinated,†Landers said. “Covid is finding a place to be able to continue to wreak havoc in our state and we have got to close this down.â€
Just at Children's of Alabama there are 19 Covid patients. The hospital reporting at least one of them is on a ventilator, but that number could be as high as four. The hospital does not release the total number due to federal privacy laws when there are fewer than five.
Dr. Landers says the best way to keep kids from getting sick and ending up in the hospital is to make sure they are masked, and if 12 or older, get vaccinated.
For kids 5-years-old and older, she expects the Pfizer vaccine will be available for children in the fall. She said Pfizer is in its last round of trials for children under the age of 12.
