Kentucky Children’s Hospital at full capacity due to COVID-19, other respiratory diseases

LEXINGTON, Ky (WKYT) – More children test positive for COVID-19.

Kentucky Children’s Hospital says Covid cases are increasing in children under the age of twelve who are not yet eligible for the vaccine.

Dr. Scottie Day, the chief physician at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, told us that the hospital is in full swing and that children are receiving treatment for Covid and other respiratory illnesses.

Dr. Day says the hospital is treating, on average, two to ten patients a day. He says healthy children can get the virus, but those with underlying diseases, such as obesity, have a higher risk.

According to health experts, the severity of COVID-19 in children can vary. Symptoms can range from headaches to fever.

At least 500 children in the US have died.

Dr. Day says the most serious cases usually occur in teens. Therefore, it encourages vaccination of everyone 12 years or older. He also points to the effectiveness of wearing masks in schools.

“The reason we, as children’s hospitals and paediatricians, try to emphasize this is that if children come to suffer from viral illnesses and miss weeks of school because they are in quarantine, this also harms their education and harms their health. mental. “Dr. Day said.

Days says Kentucky Children’s Hospital experienced a significant increase in mental health visits last year for children who had anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.

Dr. Day explained that Kentucky Children’s Hospital is also experiencing an increase in other respiratory illnesses such as RSV. He mentioned that it is important for the hospital to keep the number of capacities low especially because we are about to enter a trauma season.

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