COVID-19 Cases Are Dropping in Adults, but Surging in Children. Counsel Parents Accordingly

Owing to the facts that adults have been eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine longer than children (with many children still not able to do so) and schools have been back in session for more than a month now, cases among children have grown to the extent that they now make up a disproportionate share of the U.S. caseload. According to data from the American Academy of Pediatrics, children make up 22% of the U.S. population but account for 27% of current COVID-19 cases. Vaccine manufacturers are petitioning for approval for the vaccine in children as young as 5 years of age, but many parents are hesitant to even let older children get a shot. As such, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that travel plans within the U.S. should be discouraged until children are able to be vaccinated. Keep educating parents and patients on the benefits and safety of the available COVID-19 vaccines, underscoring the fact that while children are less at risk of death due to the virus, long-term effects of infection are still unknown.