Pediatric cases of COVID-19 are surging in New Mexico – KOAT New Mexico

Kids ages 5-17 now have the highest coronavirus case rate. To put that in perspective, that age group had the second-lowest case rate during last month’s winter surge.Dr. Christine Ross says it’s up to us, to keep this age group safe. “It’s really important that everyone around them, everyone who’s eligible for the vaccination, seeks out a vaccination,” she said.She says school-aged children are becoming a growing demographic of total coronavirus cases. There’s been a dramatic uptick in cases amongst that age group.She says it’s hard to pin down the major cause of infection in that age group because of the transmission rate of the virus but that schools could be red flags when containing it.“Children have multiple possible exposure events that could’ve happened in the community but could also have happened in school. We know in school, we are bringing large numbers of unvaccinated individuals together in a close environment, so we want to emphasize the importance of mitigation efforts,” Ross said.What can we do to keep our children safe? Dr. David Scrase says not enough children are getting tested. Both doctors say to have your children tested if; they have any COVID symptoms, if they’re asymptomatic but were in close contact with someone who tested positive, or if you yourself are unvaccinated.The department of health is not reporting an increase in hospitalizations among that age group.For more like this, click here.

Kids ages 5-17 now have the highest coronavirus case rate. To put that in perspective, that age group had the second-lowest case rate during last month’s winter surge.

Dr. Christine Ross says it’s up to us, to keep this age group safe.

“It’s really important that everyone around them, everyone who’s eligible for the vaccination, seeks out a vaccination,” she said.

She says school-aged children are becoming a growing demographic of total coronavirus cases. There’s been a dramatic uptick in cases amongst that age group.

She says it’s hard to pin down the major cause of infection in that age group because of the transmission rate of the virus but that schools could be red flags when containing it.

“Children have multiple possible exposure events that could’ve happened in the community but could also have happened in school. We know in school, we are bringing large numbers of unvaccinated individuals together in a close environment, so we want to emphasize the importance of mitigation efforts,” Ross said.

What can we do to keep our children safe?

Dr. David Scrase says not enough children are getting tested. Both doctors say to have your children tested if; they have any COVID symptoms, if they’re asymptomatic but were in close contact with someone who tested positive, or if you yourself are unvaccinated.

The department of health is not reporting an increase in hospitalizations among that age group.

For more like this, click here.