Today News Journal
    What's Hot

    Why Congo and Rwanda Are at Each Other’s Throats

    February 2, 2023

    The Chief Justice’s Wife Has Every Right to Her Legal Career

    February 2, 2023

    Biden Faces His Nixon Moment on Alaskan Oil

    February 2, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Today News Journal
    Contact Us
    • Home
    • Trending
    • Business
    • Health
    • Technology
      • Automobile
      • Gadgets
      • Mobiles
      • Robotics
    • Lifestyle
      • Culture
    • Sports
    • Travel
    • Editorials
    • News
      • Politics
    Today News Journal
    Home » Health » Covid-19: BA.2 more severe for children, Hong Kong study finds, though serious outcomes uncommon
    Health

    Covid-19: BA.2 more severe for children, Hong Kong study finds, though serious outcomes uncommon

    James MartinBy James MartinMarch 28, 2022No Comments5 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp VKontakte Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email


    The findings are considered preliminary because they come from a preprint, or a study that has not been scrutinized by outside researchers or published in a medical journal. They have also not been confirmed by other studies, which makes them less certain.

    “I think it’s a little hard to know what that will look like here, where probably a large fraction of our population has been exposed at some point before either to Delta or BA.1,” said Dr. Beth Thielen, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

    But Thielen notes that the study offers an important look at the raw power of this variant in a vulnerable population. It also highlights the urgency of Covid-19 vaccination for kids and the need for more treatments for this age group.

    “Right now, we’re fairly limited,” Thielen said. “We can give remdesivir, but we don’t have a lot of other drug treatment tools.”

    BA.2 hits a vulnerable population

    Throughout the pandemic, Hong Kong has implemented strict Covid control measures including universal masking, stringent social distancing, contact tracing and business and school closures. As a result, this city had low case levels and relatively little exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus through most of the pandemic.

    At least that was true until the highly contagious BA.2 subvariant of the Omicron strain hit the city. Since then, Hong Kong has seen an alarming rise in cases and deaths, particularly in its elderly population, many of whom had been reluctant to be vaccinated.

    But children weren’t spared from BA.2 either, and the new study compares the outcomes for children hospitalized with this variant to outcomes for kids hospitalized with previous variants (between January 2020 and November 2021), parainfluenza or the flu. Data on children hospitalized with parainfluenza and influenza came from medical records between January 2015 and December 2018.

    What an expert says about the new BA.2 Omicron variant and whether it should affect your plans

    In February 2022, during the height of Hong Kong’s Omicron wave, which was mostly caused by BA.2, 1,147 children were hospitalized, and four died.

    The children who died were 11 months, 3 years, 4 years and 9 years old. Three had previously been in good health, and the 9-year-old had muscular dystrophy. None was vaccinated against Covid-19. Two children died from encephalitis, or swelling in their brains.

    These were the first children to die of Covid-19 in Hong Kong during the pandemic.

    When the researchers compared fatality rates, they found that children hospitalized with BA.2 had seven times higher odds of dying compared with those hospitalized with the flu, and more than six times higher odds of dying from BA.2 than from parainfluenza.

    The case fatality rates were 0.35% for BA.2, 0.05% for influenza and 0.04% for parainfluenza, which causes croup.

    In addition, the odds that children would need to be admitted to the pediatric ICU were 18 times higher for BA.2 compared with previous Covid-19 variants, more than twice as high as for the flu and roughly on par with the risks for children hospitalized with parainfluenza.

    China's zero-Covid policy is showing signs of strain. But ditching it now could be a disaster

    No cases of febrile seizures were recorded in Hong Kong during previous variants. But children with Omicron’s BA.2 subvariant had three times the odds of having a seizure caused by a fever compared with those with flu and more than four times greater odds compared to those with parainfluenza.

    Kids with BA.2 also had higher risks of brain swelling than children with parainfluenza but about the same as those with the flu.

    In terms of respiratory complications, 5% of hospitalized children infected with BA.2 developed croup, compared with 0.27% of children with other Covid-19-causing variants, making the odds of having group about 11 times higher for BA.2 than for previous variants.

    They were about twice as likely to have croup with BA.2 than children hospitalized with the flu.

    The study researchers, from the University of Hong Kong, concluded that “The intrinsic severity of Omicron BA.2 is not mild as evident by the fatality and severe complications of the uninfected and unvaccinated children.”

    Prepare but don’t panic

    Though the study findings may seem scary, Dr. Claudia Hoyen, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, says parents should remember that “the chances of a child dying from Omicron are very, very, very, very low,” she said.

    According to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 0.1% of Covid-19 deaths in the US have been in children under the age of 12.

    “I don’t think there’s any need to panic, seeing what we’ve seen from this study,” Hoyen says.

    But it is an indication that even though “we’re all in the middle of a big sigh of relief here, at least in the United States, it’s not over,” she said. “We do have large groups of vulnerable population still out there.

    “For parents of smaller children, they may need to take more precautions than other families,” Hoyen said.

    Thielen agrees. The best way for families to protect babies and young children is to make sure everyone around them is up to date on their vaccinations, including boosters, she said.

    She noted that the shots were particularly beneficial for people who are pregnant because antibodies from the vaccines protect both the person carrying the child and the baby for a period of time after birth.

    Breastfeeding is also protective because antibodies pass to infants through breast milk.

    And Thielen says high-quality masks on all family members who can wear them are also a good idea.



    Source link

    Related posts:

    1. What are the latest rules for face coverings and masks?
    2. Oxygen stocks running dangerously low in Ukraine
    3. Tracking Covid-19 cases in the US
    4. France coronavirus: Bordeaux ICUs are nearing capacity. And it’s only September
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
    Previous ArticleChallenge Cup quarter-finals details confirmed as Hull FC head to John Smith’s Stadium
    Next Article UK sport’s governing bodies fail to make grade in landmark race report | Sport
    James Martin
    • Website

    Related Posts

    How to be prepared in case of a shooting without living in fear

    January 26, 2023

    Many women underestimate breast density as a risk factor for breast cancer, study shows

    January 26, 2023

    Pediatricians are giving out free gun locks to approach the gun violence epidemic as a public health crisis

    January 25, 2023

    CDC figuring out ‘logistical and legal’ aspects of testing airplane wastewater for coronavirus variants, source says

    January 25, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Search
    Categories
    • Automobile
    • Business
    • Coronavirus
    • Culture
    • Editorials
    • Finance
    • Gadgets
    • Health
    • Lifestyle
    • Mobiles
    • Money
    • News
    • Politics
    • Sports
    • Technology
    • Travel
    • Trending
    • World
    Latest Posts

    Why Congo and Rwanda Are at Each Other’s Throats

    February 2, 2023

    The Chief Justice’s Wife Has Every Right to Her Legal Career

    February 2, 2023

    Biden Faces His Nixon Moment on Alaskan Oil

    February 2, 2023

    Hindenburg Gives a Masterclass. Adani Flunks

    February 2, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    Don't Miss
    News

    Why Congo and Rwanda Are at Each Other’s Throats

    By James MartinFebruary 2, 20230

    Comment on this storyCommentViolence in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo is escalating…

    The Chief Justice’s Wife Has Every Right to Her Legal Career

    February 2, 2023

    Biden Faces His Nixon Moment on Alaskan Oil

    February 2, 2023

    Hindenburg Gives a Masterclass. Adani Flunks

    February 2, 2023
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    About Us

    Hello friends, I am James Martin. Welcome to my blog todaynewsjournal.com. We are a team of experienced journalists who are passionate about delivering the latest news and current events to our readers. Our editorial team is dedicated to providing the most accurate and up-to-date information possible. We aim to be your go-to source for news and current events. Here on this site, You will get up to date information regarding all important categories like business ideas, health tips,... (Read More)

    Latest News

    Why Congo and Rwanda Are at Each Other’s Throats

    February 2, 2023

    The Chief Justice’s Wife Has Every Right to Her Legal Career

    February 2, 2023

    Biden Faces His Nixon Moment on Alaskan Oil

    February 2, 2023
    SIGN UP NEWSLETTER

    Join The Conversation sign up to receive emails for The Daily special tips general info.

      Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
      • Home
      • Editorials
      • Get In Touch

      Copyright © 2021-2023 · Today News Journal Privacy Policy

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

      We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
      Cookie SettingsAccept All
      Manage consent

      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
      Necessary
      Always Enabled
      Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
      CookieDurationDescription
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
      cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
      viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
      Functional
      Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
      Performance
      Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
      Analytics
      Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
      Advertisement
      Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
      Others
      Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
      SAVE & ACCEPT

      Sign In or Register

      Welcome Back!

      Login to your account below.

      Lost password?