3 things to know about the delta variant and kids
The delta variant is causing yet another wave of COVID-19 to surge across the country, and kids are paying the price. Hospitalizations of children are on the rise, and the upcoming return to school is causing understandable concern among parents and doctors.
Posted — UpdatedWe asked UNC Health pediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr. Peyton Thompson what this means for children and what parents should know. Here are three things we learned.
1. The number of children hospitalized is on the rise.
Pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, or PMIS, is a condition that causes inflammation of the blood vessels and multiple organs in the body, including the heart, kidneys, skin and gastrointestinal organs. Also called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), it is potentially life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
2. The best way to protect young children is for the adults and adolescents in their lives to get vaccinated.
“Pathogens outsmart us a lot of the time, and part of the problem right now is that we have a large proportion of unvaccinated people, including children—in part because many aren’t eligible for vaccines yet—and so this population of people who are unvaccinated is allowing the virus to continue to spread, continue to mutate, and create even more virulent, severe strains,” Dr. Thompson says.
“It’s very important for those parents and family members who are unvaccinated to go ahead and get their shot,” Dr. Thompson says. “Now is the time, and they can best protect their children by getting vaccinated themselves and preventing themselves from being infected.”
3. Everyone in the family should wear masks in public.
Masks also can help to prevent other illnesses.
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