New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, reported a fivefold increase in weekly hospitalizations for infants and toddlers infected with COVID-19 during the peak of the Omicron wave, compared to the peak of the Delta variant. Around 63% of those hospitalized during the Omicron wave had no underlying medical conditions.

According to the report, a surge was observed during the Omicron wave, with infants younger than 6 months of age getting hospitalized at six times the rate than when the Delta variant predominated. Hospitalizations in children below 6 months of age accounted for 43% to 44% of all hospitalizations among children aged 0-4 years during the two waves. During the Omicron peak, 3.5 times higher rates were seen in the monthly intensive care unit (ICU) admissions compared to the Delta wave, but the duration of stay was shorter.

The CDC has recommended vaccinations for all women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to concieve, or who might become pregnant. Currently, only children aged 5 years and older are eligible for a COVID vaccine, and only those aged 12 and above are eligible for a booster shot.

(MedPage Today,  March 15, 2022)