Federal health officials are urging teenagers to get vaccinated as youths’ hospitalization rates for the coronavirus exceed rates for the flu.
The COVID-19 hospitalization rate for teens is climbing, up to 1.3 per 100,000 in April from 0.6 in mid-March, according to a study released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the levels are down from the peak of 2.1 per 100,000 in early January, the CDC found.
Nearly one-third of the hospitalized teens in the study needed to be admitted to intensive care units, while 5% required mechanical ventilation. No deaths occurred among study participants.
Almost 71% had at least one underlying medical condition, with the most common being obesity and chronic lung disease. However, the rest of the teenagers who were hospitalized for COVID-19 had no reported underlying medical condition, suggesting that healthy kids can become severely ill.
“I am deeply concerned by the numbers of hospitalized adolescents and saddened to see the number of adolescents who required treatment in intensive care units or mechanical ventilation. Much of this suffering can be prevented,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky in a statement Friday. “Until they are fully vaccinated, adolescents should continue to wear masks and take precautions when around others who are not vaccinated to protect themselves, and their family, friends, and community.”
Last month, federal health regulators approved the use of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for youths aged 12 years and up.
Cumulative coronavirus hospitalization rates were about three times higher than flu-related hospitalization rates in three recent flu seasons.
The researchers said the rising hospitalization rates might be caused by the coronavirus variants, the return to school and other activities, and the relaxation of social distancing and mask rules. They also pointed out that COVID outbreaks have been tied to extracurricular activities in high schools, where transmission occurs more easily than in elementary schools.
The study pulled data from COVID-NET, a population-based surveillance system of lab-confirmed COVID-19-related hospitalization in 99 counties across 14 states, covering about 10% of the U.S. population.
Of 376 youths ages 12-17 hospitalized between January and March 2021 who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, 172 were analyzed separately by researchers since their primary reason for hospitalization might not have been because of the coronavirus.
Of the 204 patients who were likely admitted primarily for COVID-19, 52.5% were female, 31.4% were Hispanic, and 35.8% were non-Hispanic Black.
Youths aged 12 to 17 years were hospitalized for COVID-19 less frequently than adults but more than children aged 5 to 11 years from March 1, 2020, through April 24, 2021. The adolescent rate was 12.5 times lower than that of adults 18 years and older.
Meanwhile, a group founded by vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged health agencies to stop giving the shots to teens.
Children’s Health Defense on Friday argued that children are not at great risk of serious health conditions from COVID-19 but are at “significant risk of adverse events from the vaccine.”
“Regardless of the severity of these adverse events, long-term effects on children’s health from this experimental vaccine are unknown,” the group said in a statement. “CHD demands that our federal and state agencies err on the side of caution, especially when it comes to our future: the world’s children. Immediate suspension of decisions regarding COVID vaccines for children is crucial.”
Health, The New York Today
