Children COVID-19 hospitalization rates increased within the past month, experts say
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Health care officials from the CDC are warning parents about the recent uptick in COVID-19 hospitalizations among adolescent kids.
Despite the gesture to begin vaccinating kids ages 12 and older, experts said the newly released data isn't surprising with the recent wave of relaxed CDC guidelines.
From January to March 2021, data showed the hospitalization rate among kids was on a steady decline. From March to April, the number of hospitalized children with COVID-19 increased.
According to an additional study, nearly one-third of kids hospitalized had to be transferred to ICU, 5% were placed on ventilators, and 70% suffered from one or more preexisting conditions.
"Now that we can vaccinate kids 12 years or older, I think this reminds us that we need to get that population vaccinated as soon as possible," UT Health's Dr. Anthony Flores said.
Employees at Xavier Academy in West University Place said they felt it was important to hold a vaccination event for their students and other children around the community who may not have accessibility to the shot.
"It is important, because I think they're starting to do a lot more things with people again, and they're just letting their guard down," one employee said. "It's that much more important to get the vaccine. If you don't get the vaccine, keep your mask up."
About 300 adolescents received their first dose of the vaccine at Xavier Academy.
