A new research model has estimated that nearly 40,000 children have lost at least one parent due to COVID-19, as the nation sees increased administration of vaccine doses and hospitalizations among young people.
According to an analysis released last week by JAMA Pediatrics, researchers at Stony Brook University, the University of Western Ontario, Penn State University and the University of Southern California estimated that nearly 40,000 children ages 0 to 17 have lost a father due to COVID during the pandemic.
“The number of children experiencing a father dying of COVID-19 is staggering, with an estimated 37,300 to 43,000 affected,” wrote the research team, led by Rachel Kidman of Stony Brook University.
“Black children are disproportionately affected, accounting for only 14% of children in the U.S., but 20% of those who lost a father to Covid-19,” the researchers added.
A new model has estimated that a “surprising” number of children (file image) in the United States have lost at least one parent due to COVID-19
According to the researchers, the model suggests that every death from COVID-19 leaves 0.078 children between the ages of 0 and 17 without at least one parent.
According to the researchers, the model suggests that every death from COVID-19 leaves 0.078 children between the ages of 0 and 17 without at least one parent.
This number represents an increase from 17.5% to 20.2% of parental grief due to the virus.
“By February 2021, 37,300 children aged 0 to 17 had lost at least one parent due to COVID-19, three-quarters of whom were adolescents,” the research says.
Of these, 20,600 were non-Hispanic white children and 7,600 were non-Hispanic black children. When we rely on the excess of deaths, we estimate that 43,000 children have lost a father.
The researchers also noted that “a natural herd immunity strategy that results in 1.5 million deaths demonstrates the potential effect of inaction: 116,900 children in parental pain.”
In comparison, the September 11, 2001 attacks left 3,000 children without parents.
The authors of the research wrote, “Radical national reforms are needed to address the health, educational and economic consequences affecting children.”
“Children in parental disaster will also need specific support to help with grief, especially during this period of increased social isolation.
“Establishing a national cohort of child grief could identify children who have lost parents, monitor them to identify emerging challenges soon.”
The researchers noted that the estimates are based on demographic models, not survey or administrative data, and do not include the grief of non-parental primary caregivers.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cyrus Shahpar, the White House’s COVID COVID-19 data director, shared on Twitter that the U.S. has administered more than 4.6 million doses of vaccine.
Amazing Saturday! + 4.63 million doses administered yesterday out of the total, a new record! More than 500K more than the previous record last Saturday. Incredible number of doses administered, ”wrote Shahpar.
Although infections have been on the rise, the number of deaths has been declining thanks to increased vaccination of “vulnerable” populations, according to health officials.
And while this is good news, the United States continues to see a worrying number of hospitalizations among young people and a rising number of COVID-19 cases.
On Friday, during a White House COVID-19 briefing, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said, “On the one hand, we have so many reasons for optimism and hope, and more vaccines are being given. Americans “.
“On the other hand, cases and emergency room visits have increased,” he added, noting younger adults who have not been vaccinated.
According to Walensky, 18- to 64-year-olds have seen an increasing number of hospital visits, noting that the upper Midwest is seeing these magnitudes expand.
“CDC is working closely with public health officials in this region to understand what is driving these cases and how we can intervene,” he said.
Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech SE on Friday called on U.S. regulators to allow emergency use of their vaccine in teens ages 12 to 15.
The vaccine is currently authorized for emergency use in the United States for people 16 years of age or older. The companies said Friday they applied for an extension of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s authorization to include the younger age group.
In March, drug makers said the vaccine was safe, effective, and produced robust antibody responses in 12- to 15-year-olds in a clinical trial.
It is unclear how long it will take the regulator to review the trial data, though Walensky said Thursday he expects the vaccine to be authorized for 12- to 15-year-olds in mid-May.
According to many experts, inoculation of children and young people is considered a critical step in achieving herd immunity and taming the pandemic.
Last week, officials warned that nearly half of new coronavirus infections in the United States came from five states: New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania.
In particular, Michigan health officials expressed concern Wednesday about the increase in coronavirus cases despite an intensified vaccination campaign.
Joneigh Khaldun, the state’s chief medical officer, warned Twitter of a “significant increase” in cases.
‘Our hospitalizations are also increasing. Michiganders must step in and take the necessary steps to stop the spread of this virus, ”he said.
Michigan sees more COVID infections per population than any other U.S. state and some experts have attributed the increase to spring break.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cyrus Shahpar, the White House’s COVID COVID-19 data director, shared on Twitter that the U.S. has administered more than 4.6 million doses of vaccine. Saturday sees people wearing masks in New York
“We have CDC teams on the ground working to assess outbreaks in correctional facilities,” Walensky said. “We are working to facilitate the increase in testing that is happening on the ground in the context of youth sports.”
Walensky said the CDC was also looking to “understand what’s going on” with COVID-19 variants.
The number of new cases has begun to rise again in the United States and there have been about 63,000 new cases a day over the past week.
Although infections have been on the rise, the death toll has been on the rise thanks to increased vaccination of “vulnerable” populations, Walensky said.
Health officials also said last week that the highly contagious variant of COVID-19 first discovered in the UK has become the most common strain of the virus in the United States.
The strain, known as B.1.1.7, was identified in Britain last fall and has since been detected in 52 U.S. jurisdictions, Walensky said.
U.S. public health officials have urged Americans to get vaccinated as soon as possible in part to prevent new variants of the new coronavirus from spreading.
The United States has also detected cases of a variant first discovered in South Africa that is thought to be resistant to some COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. This strain has been found in 36 U.S. jurisdictions, according to federal data.
Vaccine supply has increased significantly in the United States in recent weeks as Johnson & Johnson has begun making millions of doses of its newly licensed traits.
Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna have also recently increased their vaccine production capacity.
President Joe Biden has doubled his target of administered shootings in his first 100 days in charge from 100 million to 200 million and has urged states to start shooting all adults in mid-April.
Walensky said the CDC has identified a number of outbreaks of COVID-19 related to youth sporting events and that communities experiencing a high number of cases should avoid holding such events. Tests should also be done twice a week, he said.
White House COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt also told reporters that the U.S. government is expanding its community health center program, which it established in recent weeks to help vaccinate small communities. attended.