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COVID-19 cases growing in children

In a recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 22% of new cases are children.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Vaccinations in America are available to young adults and older. However, children are not yet able to get the vaccine. In a recent study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 22% of the new covid cases are children. 

Children can’t get the vaccine just yet, and that may be a large part of why the ratio of kids getting coronavirus compared to adults is on the rise.  

"It’s not surprising because adults, particularly the group that 65 and older have been vaccinated and now in texas adults 16 and older can be vaccinated," Marcia Ory, professor at Texas A&M School of Public Health said "As you get people vaccinated, you have a pie and you take out the older people from the pie, and what does that leave? It leaves the kids because they’re not yet eligible for vaccinations.” 

Dr. Ory said within the last year kids have had less severe cases than others which is why there hasn’t been much tracking or studies completed on them. 

"It’s not so serious with children. But you have to consider two things. Whether children are getting infected, how severe the initial symptoms are, and whether just like adults, they have long haul symptoms,” Dr. Ory said 

The Brazos County Health District says the best way to protect the health of kids who can’t get vaccinated is actually getting vaccinated yourself. 

"The whole purpose of vaccination efforts is that we protect the vulnerable in our population," Seth Sullivan, Brazos County Health Authority, said.

Dr. Sullivan also attributes the overall number of cases decreasing nationally to the summer season but says this decrease needs to continue into the fall and winter. 

"We need our kids back in school and we’ve been able to do that down here obviously, but all throughout the country, we need our kids at school," Dr. Sullivan said. "That’s what’s going to be an important part of our summer effort."

He said this will keep the virus pressure in the community down and allow schools to remain open for kids.

The FDA is expected to authorize the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 12-15 in the next weeks.  

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