COVID-19 hospitalizations have been on the rise in the United States for months, with weekly admissions now more than triple what they were two months ago. Seniors have the highest rates of Covid hospitalizations by far, but hospitalizations among children — especially among those younger than 5 — are rising fast.
Nationally, more than half of new COVID-19 hospital admissions were among people 70 and older, and more than two-thirds are among people 60 and older, according to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But a new analysis of federal data from the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that hospital admissions among children are rising faster than average. Nearly 1,200 children were admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 during the week ending September 9, marking a five-fold increase over the past three months. Hospitalizations among adults increased about threefold in that same time period.
Admissions among children remain below previous pandemic peaks. There were about 1,800 new pediatric admissions in a week at the height of last winter’s wave, and more than 6,500 weekly admissions during Omicron, the AAP analysis shows.
“This increase in hospitalizations, especially for the youngest children, is very concerning,” said Dr. Sandy L. Chung, president of the AAP. “We know this is the age group with the lowest vaccination rates. Right now, we have updated COVID vaccines that can help children’s immune systems learn to detect and resist the virus, including the strain that is circulating now. The virus is still here, and I’d urge parents to talk with their pediatricians about how they can protect their family.”
A White House official acknowledged increased infections and hospital admissions nationally but noted that levels remain lower than during past COVID surges. The Biden administration is also preparing to ramp up messaging on flu, RSV and Covid vaccines, including for higher-risk populations such as seniors and young children.
Flu vaccines are broadly available in pharmacies and doctor’s offices. For the first time, there are vaccines available against RSV for people 60 and older, and the US Food and Drug Administration recently approved a maternal vaccine and an antibody product that can protect infants.
Updated COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna are starting to roll out across the country and are recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
