A new research model estimates that nearly 40,000 children have lost at least one parent to COVID-19 as the country sees an increase in the administration of vaccine doses and hospitalizations among young people.
According to an analysis published by JAMA Pediatrics last week, researchers from Stony Brook University, the University of Western Ontario, Penn State University and the University of Southern California estimate that nearly 40,000 children from 0 to 17 years of age are one parent COVID lost during the pandemic.
The number of children experiencing a parent dying from COVID-19 is staggering. It is estimated that 37,300 to 43,000 are already affected, ‘wrote the research team, led by Rachel Kidman of Stony Brook University.
“Black children are hit excessively, and make up only 14% of children in the U.S., but 20% of children who lose a parent to Covid-19,” researchers said.
A ‘staggering’ number of children (file image) in the US lost at least one parent to COVID-19, according to a new model
According to researchers, the model indicates that each COVID-19 death leaves 0.078 children between the ages of 0 and 17, without at least one parent
According to researchers, the model indicates that each COVID-19 death leaves 0.078 children between the ages of 0 and 17, without at least one parent.
The number represents an increase from 17.5 percent to 20.2 percent in parental deaths due to the virus.
“As of February 2021, 37,300 children aged 0 to 17 have lost at least 1 parent due to COVID-19, three-quarters of whom were teenagers,” the research reads.
‘Of these, 20,600 were non-Hispanic white children and 7,600 non-Hispanic black children. If we rely on excess deaths, we estimate that 43,000 children have lost a parent. ‘
Researchers have also noted that ‘a natural herd immunity strategy resulting in 1.5 million deaths demonstrates the potential effect of inactivity: 116,900 children of older parents.
In comparison, 3,000 children without a parent left the attacks on September 11, 2001.
“Extensive national reforms are needed to address the health, educational and economic hardships affecting children,” the study’s authors wrote.
‘Parental-distressed children will also need targeted support to help grief, especially during this period of increased social isolation.
“Establishing a National Child Fraud Squad can identify children who have lost parents, and monitor them for early identification of emerging challenges.”
The researchers noted that the estimates are based on demographic modeling, not survey or administrative data, and do not include the deaths of non-parental primary caregivers.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cyrus Shahpar, the COVID-19 data director of the White House COVID, shared on Twitter that the U.S. has administered more than 4.6 million vaccine doses.
‘Amazing Saturday! + 4.63 million doses administered in total yesterday, a new record! More than 500K higher than the old record last Saturday. Incredible number of doses administered, ‘Shahpar wrote.
While infections have increased, the number of deaths has dropped due to increased vaccination of ‘vulnerable’ populations, according to health officials
And while this is good news, the U.S. is still seeing alarming numbers in hospitalizations among young people and an upward increase in COVID-19 cases.
During a COVID-19 briefing in the White House on Friday, CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky said: ‘On the one hand, we have so much reason for optimism and hope, and more Americans are being vaccinated.
“On the other hand, the cases and visits to emergencies are up,” she adds, pointing to younger adults who have not been vaccinated.
According to Walensky, young people between the ages of 18 and 64 saw more and more hospital visits and noticed that the trends in the Upper Middle East were ‘magnified’.
“CDC is working closely with public health officials in this region to understand what drives these issues and how we can intervene,” she said.
Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech SE on Friday asked US regulators to allow the emergency of their vaccine in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years.
The vaccine is currently approved for emergency use in the US for people 16 years and older. The companies said Friday they are seeking an extension of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s authorization to include the younger age group.
In March, the drugmakers said the vaccine is safe, effective and that it elicits a strong antibody response in 12- to 15-year-olds in a clinical trial.
It is unclear how long the regulator will take to review the details of the trial, although Walensky said on Thursday she expects the vaccine to be approved by mid-May for 12- to 15-year-olds.
According to many experts, vaccinating children and young people is considered a critical step in achieving herd immunity and taming the pandemic.
Last week, officials warned that nearly half of the new U.S. coronavirus infections come from five states: New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania.
Health officials in Michigan in particular on Wednesday expressed concern about rising coronavirus cases, despite a intensified vaccination campaign.
State Medical Chief Joneigh Khaldun warned on Twitter about a ‘significant increase’ in business.
“Our hospitalizations are also increasing. “Michiganders need to double down and take steps to stop the spread of this virus,” she said.
Michigan sees more COVID infections by population than any other U.S. state, and some experts attributed the rise to spring vacations.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cyrus Shahpar, the COVID-19 data director of the White House COVID, shared on Twitter that the U.S. has administered more than 4.6 million vaccine doses. People are seen in New York on Saturday wearing masks
“We have CDC teams on site working to assess outbreaks in correctional facilities,” Walensky said. “We are working to facilitate increased tests that take place on the ground in the context of youth sports.”
Walensky said the CDC is also trying to “understand what is happening” with COVID-19 variants.
The number of new cases started to increase again in the US and there were on average about 63 000 new cases per day during the past week.
As infections increased, the number of deaths decreased due to increased vaccination of ‘vulnerable’ populations, Walensky said.
Health officials also said last week that the highly contagious variant of COVID-19 first discovered in the UK has become the most common virus strain in the US.
The strain, known as B.1.1.7, was identified in Britain last fall and has since been detected in 52 U.S. jurisdictions, Walensky said.
U.S. public health officials have urged Americans to be vaccinated as soon as possible to prevent new variants of the new coronavirus from spreading.
The US has also detected cases of a variant first discovered in South Africa that is considered resistant to some COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. According to federal records, the tribe was found in 36 U.S. jurisdictions.
In the United States, vaccine stocks have increased significantly over the past few weeks as Johnson & Johnson began making millions of doses of its recently approved shots.
Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna have also recently increased their production capacity for vaccines.
President Joe Biden has doubled his target for shots fired in his first hundred days in office from 100 million to 200 million and called on countries to start giving shots to all adults by mid-April.
Walensky said the CDC has identified a number of COVID-19 outbreaks related to youth sporting events, and that communities experiencing high scores should not hold such events. Testing should also happen twice a week, she said.
Andy Slavitt, White House COVID-19 adviser, also told reporters that the U.S. government is expanding its community health center program, which he has set up over the past few weeks to help get vaccinations in sub-communities.