Delta variant found to be common in children across US
pharmafile | October 1, 2021 | News story | Medical Communications |
School-aged children across the US are being exposed to the increasingly prevalent Delta variant of COVID-19. This is linked to the reopening of schools across the US, which presents a substantial risk to the general population, particularly adults and those living in care homes. The latter two are at greater risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms, according to leading data and analytics company GlobalData.
Walter Gabriel, MPH, Epidemiologist at GlobalData, comments: “Although recent statements by the CDC director indicate minor differences in the severity of illness among children infected with the Delta variant versus other COVID-19 variants, asymptomatic individuals and individuals with mild illness may still transmit the virus. Therefore, the increasing number of children with the virus may increase the likelihood of transmission to other individuals at higher risk for severe disease.
“This group accounts for over 1.27 million individuals in 2021. The elderly in nursing homes are at particular risk, because age increases the likelihood of hospitalization and death among the unvaccinated, and COVID-19 vaccines may have waning effectiveness in older age groups. In addition, the high population density and enclosed spaces in nursing homes make transmission much more likely in this population.”
Gabriel adds that since many children are under 12 years old and cannot yet be vaccinated, this increases the risk of infection and subsequent transmission. Children are also less likely to be tested, indicating that the paediatric COVID-19 prevalence is likely underreported, says the CDC.
In order to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools, parents and school districts should continue implementing social distancing measures. They should also implement mask-wearing and vaccines among eligible school-aged children.
According to multiple sources, the COVID-19 surge across the US is being called ‘the Delta disaster’, and is fuelled by eased restrictions, low vaccination uptake among youth, and the highly infectious variant to top it off.
Lina Adams
