3 Major COVID Developments - Omicron Impact on Children, CDC Policy Change (Again) & Schools Closing
Wednesday, January 05, 2022
There have been a number of significant development in the past 24 hours as related to the Omicron variant and the spread of COVID.
Growing Concern for Children
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe American Academy of Pediatrics {AAP) is warning that Omicron is driving a significant increase in the number of children hospitalized with COVID.
COVID-19 cases among U.S. children have reached the highest case count ever reported since the start of the pandemic. For the week ending December 30, over 325,000 child COVID-19 cases were reported. This number is a 64% increase over the 199,000 added cases reported the week ending December 23 and an almost doubling of case counts from the two weeks prior.
According to the AAP, nearly 7.9 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, representing over 1 in 10 US children. For the 21st week in a row, child COVID-19 cases are above 100,000. Since the first week of September, there have been over 2.8 million additional child cases.
The age distribution of reported COVID-19 cases was provided on the health department websites of 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Since the pandemic began, children represented 17.4% of total cumulated cases. For the week ending December 30, children were 17.7% of reported weekly COVID-19 cases (children, under age 18, make up 22.2% of the US population).
"At this time, it appears that severe illness due to COVID-19 is uncommon among children," said the AAP. "However, there is an urgent need to collect more data to assess the severity of illness related to new variants as well as the longer-term impacts of the pandemic on children, including ways the virus may harm the long-term physical health of infected children, as well as its emotional and mental health effects."
The CDC Again Changed Its Policy Regarding Isolation
Last week the CDC changed its guidance for isolation for those who have contracted COVID.
On Tuesday, the CDC amended its policy yet again.
The new policy is:
- Stay home for 5 days
- Isolation can end if symptoms are resolving
- Wear a mask around others for 5 more days
- Antigen test is optional around day 5, suggested but not required (NEW)
- If positive, isolate for a full 10 days (NEW)
Chicago’s Teachers Union Votes To Go Remote
The Chicago Tribune is reporting, “Classes are canceled in Chicago Public Schools Wednesday after the teachers union voted to refuse to show up for in-person work. Mayor Lori Lightfoot blasted the Chicago Teachers Union late Tuesday for the work action, which the union said was endorsed by 73% of its members. CTU said it took the step out of concerns about inadequate COVID-19 protections and intends to continue to teach remotely, though it remains unclear if that will happen starting Thursday.”
The Chicago school system is the third-largest in the country.
On Tuesday, President Joe Biden during an update on the pandemic urged schools to stay open.
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