ADPH: COVID-19 surges in Alabama children; vaccination and other measures needed to prevent further spread

The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) reports a significant increase in pediatric cases of COVID-19 at this time of year, compared to the same time in 2020. Coupled with this increase in cases, ADPH notes that at least 50 children are hospitalized statewide and as many as nine children have been on ventilators in a single day.

“I am very concerned that the children of Alabama are experiencing more illness and hospitalizations as a result of COVID-19,” ADPH pediatrician Dr. Karen Landers said. “Children can and do contract and spread COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 can be a very serious illness in children with at least 6% of children experiencing long-term consequences of this disease.

“Further, at least 113 children in our state have suffered from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, a severe illness that occurs after COVID disease and affects several organs, including the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys, among other body systems,” she said.

“Delta variant accounts for most of the SARS-CoV-2 cases in Alabama, based upon surveillance. Delta can replicate more quickly and infect earlier than previous SARS-CoV-2 variants. These factors are fueling the surge of COVID-19 among Alabama’s children,” noted Dr. Benjamin Estrada, director of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and professor of Pediatrics at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine.

To combat this surge, ADPH recommends all children ages 12 and older be vaccinated against COVID-19. ADPH recently issued school guidance that any child who has COVID-19 should remain in home isolation for 10 days to prevent spreading the virus to other students, teachers and staff.

ADPH further recommends, as part of its Isolation and Quarantine Guidance, that close contacts home quarantine unless they meet certain exceptions. Exceptions are having had COVID-19 disease within 90 days of exposure, fully vaccinated status and, in the K-12 classroom, correct and appropriate mask use with 3 or more feet of distancing.

• Between Aug. 1 and Aug. 12, 2020, Alabama had 1,356 reports of COVID-19 in the age range of 5 to 17 years. In this same date range in 2021, there were 6,181 reports among 5- to 17-year-olds.
• In the past four weeks, 6.2% of cases of COVID-19 in Alabama have been among children 0-4 years of age, while 8.1% have been in the 5 to 17 age range.
• The current percent positive rate in children 5- to 17 years old in Alabama is higher than the state average, with at least 27% of SARS-CoV-2 tests in children being positive.

These numbers are based on data reported to Alabama’s electronic disease surveillance system.

While urging all parents and guardians to listen to and read factual information from their pediatrician or other health care provider, Landers said, “All Alabamians need to take the threat of this virus more seriously than ever before, and implement all preventive and mitigation measures to protect the children of Alabama.”

(Courtesy of Alabama News Center)