Health officials say the rise in numbers underscores the need for anyone around children to be vaccinated and for those kids that are eligible to be vaccinated to receive a vaccine.
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The number of children infected with COVID-19 has risen in January, as cases of the fast-spreading Omicron variant have exploded in B.C., provincial statistics show.
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While the rate of hospitalization remains low, and is lower than all other age groups, health officials are keeping a close eye on the trend, particularly among kids younger than five for which a COVID vaccine hasn’t been approved.
Numbers released by the province for the week of Jan. 6-12 show that nine children younger than five were admitted to hospital, with two more in each of the 5-to-11 and 12-to-17 age groups. The numbers are similar to those seen since the end of December, about twice as high as in the previous six weeks, according to an examination of B.C. Centre for Disease Control data.
Health officials say the rise in numbers underscores the need for anyone around children to be vaccinated and for those kids that are eligible to be vaccinated to receive a vaccine.
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“It reflects that this virus is spreading widely in our community and how important it is for all of us who are around young people, particularly zero-to-four, to make sure that we’re vaccinated to protect them the best we can from transmission,” said B.C.’s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.
She also said c hildren with mild illness can go return to school or daycare as soon as their symptoms are gone, whether they test positive for COVID or not.
“I know this is different from where we’ve been trying to make sure we’re keeping COVID out of everything, but the reality is that we don’t transmit as much if we’re well, so these are the things that we need to consider now.”
So far, the recent surge in cases hasn’t resulted in children ending up in critical care.
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There have only been two deaths of children in B.C. during the pandemic.
Henry said COVID in kids appears to be more of a respiratory illness triggering asthma, airway disease and bronchiolitis, similar to what’s being found in some other jurisdictions.
Omicron has also resulted in thousands of hospitalizations among U.S. children.
Henry noted there are also other viruses circulating this year that are causing illness in young people and the aged in long-term care.
B.C. Children’s Hospital recently released information on Omicron’s effect on children. The hospital said that as of Thursday it had 11 children who had tested positive for COVID.
However, about one-quarter were admitted specifically for COVID, while the others were in hospital for other illnesses and happened to test positive.
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The hospital noted the data changes daily, but, consistently throughout the pandemic, a high proportion of kids in the hospital who test positive for COVID are admitted for other reasons.
B.C. Children’s said it’s watching the COVID situation in Canada and around the world.
“Ontario and Quebec seem to be seeing more severe illness in infants and young children, but we don’t know yet if it’s because so many more children are acquiring COVID-19 or if the proportion of kids getting quite sick is going up,” noted Dr. Laura Sauvé, an infectious disease pediatrician at B.C. Children’s.
“We are not seeing this in B.C., but public health physicians and pediatricians are following that closely,” said Sauvé, also a clinical assistant professor with the faculty of medicine at the University of B.C.
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Sauvé noted that while generally children get less sick from COVID than adults, there are some rare cases where they can get quite sick.
However, the most significant health effects of the pandemic on kids in Canada has been on their mental health, a lack of school and excessive screen time, noted Sauvé. That’s why it’s so important to balance safety with maximizing connections with other children and ensure they continue regular activities, she said.
Families can use the same tools that have always been used to protect from COVID even though Omicron is more contagious, said Sauvé. Those include having social visits outdoors, wearing a mask in indoor public spaces, washing hands and staying home when sick.
And, importantly, get your children vaccinated, said Suavé.
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Children aged 5-to-11 were just approved for a vaccine in November, while the 12-and-older age group was approved earlier.
As of Jan. 13, 45 per cent of five-to-11-year-olds had received a first vaccine dose. In the 12-to-17 age group, 87 per cent have had a first dose and 83 per cent have had two doses.
With a file from the Victoria Times Colonist
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COVID-19: Hospitalizations in kids are rising with Omicron, but rate remains low - Vancouver Sun
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