“Until pretty recently, it seemed like one of the only silver linings of this pandemic was that the children were not really being as affected as much by Covid. They were kind of escaping the worst of this. And we know now very clearly that this changed completely.” – Dr. Priya Soni.

Millions of children have tested positive for COVID-19. The Omicron variant has spared no one and children are facing the brunt of it, presently. Medical experts decrypt the surge of pediatric infections and hospitalizations since the spread of Omicron.

Speakers

  • Dr. Priya Soni, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
  • Dr. Manisha Newaskar, Pediatric Pulmonologist, Stanford Children’s Health
  • Dr. Jose Luis Perez, Chief Medical Officer, South Central Family Health Center
  • David Roman, Director Of Development And Communications. South Central Family Health Center

Dr. Soni reiterates that Omicron is a highly transmissible variant, much more than Delta. The silver lining is that the Omicron variant peaked in the winters and holiday months, and we finally see a slowdown in infections, back to pre-Omicron levels.

Here is a breakdown of how families should navigate since the younger population can’t access vaccines, just yet.

Symptoms of COVID-19 in Children

Dr. Newaskar delineates that common symptoms in pediatric COVID infections include fever, chills, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, muscle or body aches, coughing, headaches fatigue, and for some, loss of taste and/or smell as well. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain/pressure, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, severe abdominal pain, confusion, trouble staying awake would warrant immediate medical attention. Another sign that would warrant immediate attention is bluish discoloration of the face and/or lips.

Vaccinations for Kids

Currently, 18% of eligible children are vaccinated against the virus. Dr. Perez asserts that for parents, it is paramount to be well-informed about the vaccines. Parents’ main concern is whether the vaccine is safe for their child, which is reasonable enough. However, parents getting misinformed by narratives on social media has caused parents to be vaccine-hesitant for the wrong reasons. Dr. Perez reminds us that the greatest weapon is education. Assuring parents that health experts are taking the utmost precautions for vaccine effectiveness and safety.

Dr. Soni emphasizes that the COVID-19 virus and the vaccines have been thoroughly studied – more than any other infection or pathogen. The vaccines have been extremely safe and successful for children aged 5 to 11. Over 8 million doses were administered and no major safety concerns should be reassuring to parents.

Keeping Schools Safe

Dr. Soni shares a safety framework, schools should follow to keep them from shutting down and spreading COVID. Along with masking, proper hand hygiene, vaccinations, schools need to focus efforts on proper ventilation. Dr. Soni says all of these measures played a huge part in keeping case rates low in Los Angeles County schools.

Dr. Newaskar believes that we need to continue wearing masks until most kids in the country are vaccinated. Dr. Perez offers a different perspective.

Dr. Perez points out that the reality is that there is no way we can attain zero infectivity. As long as it is understood that there are social and psychological benefits to removing masks, there needs to be an understanding that with the masks coming off, infections are bound to increase. It is all about balance. The silver lining is that current treatments and vaccines help minimize hospitalizations and mortality rates.

Final Thoughts

Many experts share that Omicron might be the endgame of the COVID-19 pandemic. As parents, as kids, as teenagers, as siblings, as relatives, as friends – no matter who we are, let’s do our part and safely transition to the ‘endemic’ state. Continue masking, encouraging vaccines, and follow good hygiene practices. The future is finally looking bright.