No coronavirus vaccines are approved for anyone under age 12, and right now, kids of all ages are suffering from a massive spike in new COVID infections. Last week, about 94,000 new cases were reported, and children make up about 15% of new infections, according to The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association.
Many of these kids are getting it from unvaccinated family or community members, says Dr. Michael Neely, chief of infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
He says the number of children with COVID at the hospital has tripled in the last week. The youngest patient is 2 weeks old and is currently on oxygen.
“If they're old enough to get vaccinated, run, don't walk, to the nearest place where you can get it, and you can get it for free in so many, so many places. Get that vaccine for your eligible adolescent,” Neely urges.