Peer Reviewed

Risk Management

COVID-19 Roundup: Pediatric COVID-19, Booster Doses, Influenza, and Emergency Deliveries

COVID-19 Hospitalizations Increase Among Children1

Recently released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that hospitalizations for COVID-19 among children and adolescents has reached an all-time high. This is despite the recent decline in new COVID-19 cases overall in the United States.

Specifically, for children aged 5 to 11 years, hospitalizations peaked at 1.1 hospital admissions per 100,000 for the week ending on September 25, 2021.

Cases among individuals younger than age 18 years increased from an average 16.4% throughout the pandemic to 25.5% for the week ending on October 14, 2021.2

Additional Dose of COVID-19 Vaccines3

Under an amendment to the emergency use authorization, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a booster dose for the Moderna and Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines in certain populations, as well as the heterologous use of all COVID-19 vaccines for a booster dose in eligible populations.

Similar to the prior booster dose approval for Pfizer, the Moderna booster dose is approved for individuals aged 65 years or older and individuals aged 18 to 64 years who are at high risk of severe disease or who have frequent exposure to SARS-CoV-2 through their institutions or occupations. The Janssen booster dose is approved for use in individuals aged 18 years or older who completed the primary vaccine series at least 2 months prior. Any available COVID-19 vaccine may be used to provide a booster dose to those who completed the primary series, regardless of the type of initial vaccination.

COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccination4

Professional health organizations are calling for influenza vaccination for the 2021-2022 flu season amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Included in this joint statement is the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.

“COVID has not made influenza disappear. Getting vaccinated against the flu is the best thing that everyone can do right now to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities, especially as we head into the holiday season and hope to gather with friends and family,” said Lynn Schnapp, MD, ATSF, who is the president of the American Thoracic Society.

Symptomatic COVID-19 and Emergency Deliveries5

Individuals who are pregnant and have symptomatic COVID-19 are more likely to have emergency deliveries, according to the results of a recent study presented at the Anesthesiology 2021 Annual Meeting. Newborns of symptomatic mothers may also be more likely to have complications.

Included in the review were 101 pregnant women aged between 16 and 45 years who had tested positive for COVID-19 and delivered their baby between March and September 2020. Of the total women included in the study, 31 were symptomatic.

The results indicated that 58.1% of symptomatic mothers had emergency deliveries, compared with 46.5% of asymptomatic mothers. Breech position, decreased fetal movement, too little amniotic fluid, and slowing or stopping of the labor progress were among the complications. Oxygen support was necessary for 31.2% of babies born to symptomatic mothers, and 29% of babies born to asymptomatic mothers. Admission to the neonatal intensive care unit was required in 43.8% and 36.2% of newborns, respectively.

Further, cesarean delivery rates were higher than the national average (31.7%) in both symptomatic (64.5%) and asymptomatic (62%) individuals.

 

—Leigh Precopio

 

References:

  1. COVID data tracker. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated October 21, 2021. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#datatracker-home
  2. Children and COVID-19: state-level data report. News release. American Academy of Pediatrics; October 18, 2021. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-state-level-data-report
  3. Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: FDA takes additional action on the use of a booster dose for COVID-19 vaccines. News release. US Food and Drug Administration; October 20, 2021. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-takes-additional-actions-use-booster-dose-covid-19-vaccines
  4. Critical care and pulmonary societies encourage flu shots amid COVID-19 spread. News release. American Thoracic Society; October 18, 2021. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.thoracic.org/about/newsroom/press-releases/critical-care-and-pulmonary-societies-encourage-flu-shots-amid-covid-19-spread.php
  5. Pregnant women with symptomatic COVID-19 more likely to have emergency deliveries. News release. American Society of Anesthesiologists; October 9, 2021. Accessed October 22, 2021. https://www.asahq.org/about-asa/newsroom/news-releases/2021/10/pregnant-women-with-symptomatic-covid-19-more-likely-to-have-emergency-deliveries