MADISON, WIS – Public health officials in Dane County say the number of COVID cases and hospitalizations is declining gradually or slightly, but what is changing is the age groups affected.
In the past two weeks, 21% of all new COVID cases in Dane County were people under the age of 18. Throughout the rest of the pandemic, the group was responsible for only 13% of all cases.
Madison Public Health and Dane County Director Janel Heinrich say it’s not just the case that more of our elderly population is being vaccinated. There are a larger number of cases in the age group 12 to 17.
“Although vaccines will make us normal again, our children do not have the opportunity,” Heinrich said during a weekly briefing on Thursday. “It is therefore very important to continue the prevention practices that have kept us well and will continue to keep us well.”
In the past week, a total of 123 young people were diagnosed with COVID-19.
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