At the hospitalization, none of the 5- to 11-year-olds with COVID-19 were fully vaccinated, the Department said.
However, about one-third of 12- to 17-year-olds admitted to COVID-19 are fully vaccinated.
“The risks of COVID-19 for children are real,” acting State Health Commissioner Mary Bassett said in a statement.
“We are alerting New Yorkers to this recent striking increase in pediatric COVID-19 admissions so that pediatricians, parents, and guardians can take urgent action to protect our youngest New Yorkers.”
About 27 percent of 5- to 11-year-olds and nearly 72 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds in New York state have received at least one vaccine dose, state data shows.
“Unfortunately, NY is seeing an increase in pediatric hospitalizations (primarily amongst the unvaccinated), and they have similar (5- to 11-year-old) vaccination rates,” Erica Pan, the California state epidemiologist, said on Twitter.
The State Department of Health issued an advisory reminding parents to “not assume a mild respiratory illness” as a routine “cold”, but to test for Covid-19.
“Although COVID-19 is usually mild in children, there are risks of serious illness and sequelae for children, and if not isolated, they can contribute to community transmission,” the statement read.
The advisory also “strongly” recommended COVID-19 vaccination for children age five and up and boosters for those eligible; wearing a well-fitting mask, social distancing, and avoidance of crowds.
Source: IANS
