NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — The excellent news is that COVID vaccines at the moment are obtainable for kids ages 5 and up.
The dangerous information is that COVID instances in kids have risen by 32% from simply two weeks in the past.
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It appears contradictory — pediatric coronavirus instances spiking simply because the nation rushes to vaccinate kids forward of the winter vacation and the chilly and flu season.
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One motive is that as COVID continues to unfold, a smaller proportion of the childhood inhabitants has been vaccinated, in comparison with adults.
Dr. Rebekah Diamond, affiliate professor of pediatrics at Columbia Youngsters’s Hospital, says there are additionally different drivers.
“Individuals are loosening their restrictions or loosening restrictions at colleges, or persons are getting again collectively extra. All of it kind of compounds and compounds itself,” she instructed CBS2’s Dr. Max Gomez.
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These loosened restrictions will drive infections at colleges, at dwelling and different gatherings.
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Nonetheless, about 3 in 10 dad and mom say they may undoubtedly not get the vaccine for his or her 5- to 11-year-old, about the identical proportion as dad and mom who say they may immunize their youngster instantly. The reluctance could also be as a result of false impression that youngsters both don’t get or get a really delicate case of COVID. Not so.
“They get sick with excessive fevers. They’re within the hospital for a very long time. There are pediatric COVID deaths. There’s additionally the long-term results. There’s lengthy COVID, which is affecting giant numbers of kids. There’s myocarditis, which is quite common with COVID in kids, rather more frequent than with the vaccine. There may be MIS-C, which is the inflammatory situation after COVID,” Diamond mentioned.
It’s true that it’s too late for youths to be totally vaccine protected by Thanksgiving. That takes two weeks after the second dose, so if children begin now, they’ll be protected by Christmas, however they are going to be at the least partially protected instantly, so go get that shot.
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Tuesday afternoon, the New York Metropolis Council handed a invoice to ensure 4 hours of paid depart so dad and mom can accompany their kids to get a vaccine and take care of them if they’ve unwanted effects.