Politics & Government
City Of Louisville: Pediatric Health Experts Discuss Impacts Of COVID-19 On Children, Success Of Vaccines
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February 22, 2022
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Mayor Greg Fischer today was joined by Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, associate medical director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW); Dr. Kristina Bryant, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Norton Children’s Hospital; and Misty Ellis, pediatric acute care nurse practitioner at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, to provide a COVID-19 update and to discuss its effects on children.
Find out what's happening in Louisvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Mayor Greg Fischer today was joined by Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, associate medical director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW); Dr. Kristina Bryant, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Norton Children’s Hospital; and Misty Ellis, pediatric acute care nurse practitioner at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, to provide a COVID-19 update and to discuss its effects on children.
“We’ve been finding new ways to navigate through COVID-19 without totally sacrificing our needs to be active and engaged with our community,” Mayor Fischer said. “Obviously this is possible thanks largely to the vaccines. Vaccines have saved countless lives and now they are available to anybody that’s age 5 and up. Even though young people tend not to get seriously ill, the vaccines can keep them from getting sick at all and from spreading it to more vulnerable people like their grandparents, or great-grandparents.”
“We’ve been finding new ways to navigate through COVID-19 without totally sacrificing our needs to be active and engaged with our community,” Mayor Fischer said. “Obviously this is possible thanks largely to the vaccines. Vaccines have saved countless lives and now they are available to anybody that’s age 5 and up. Even though young people tend not to get seriously ill, the vaccines can keep them from getting sick at all and from spreading it to more vulnerable people like their grandparents, or great-grandparents.”
Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for Feb. 22, 2022:
Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for Feb. 22, 2022:
Dr. Hartlage said the numbers reported this past week are likely much higher because of delays in reporting, due to the significant volume of cases in January.
Dr. Hartlage said the numbers reported this past week are likely much higher because of delays in reporting, due to the significant volume of cases in January.
“We are showing 7,106 cases within the last week, but when removing the catch-up cases, the case count for brand new cases is around 3,638,” Dr. Hartlage said. “The incidence rate of 132 is likely inflated a little bit as well. I believe the true number to be closer to 105 to 110.”
“We are showing 7,106 cases within the last week, but when removing the catch-up cases, the case count for brand new cases is around 3,638,” Dr. Hartlage said. “The incidence rate of 132 is likely inflated a little bit as well. I believe the true number to be closer to 105 to 110.”
Hospitalization data:
Hospitalization data:
Vaccines:
Vaccines:
Dr. Hartlage said while COVID-19 cases are trending down, so are vaccination rates – especially among the county’s younger population.
Dr. Hartlage said while COVID-19 cases are trending down, so are vaccination rates – especially among the county’s younger population.
“Pretty much every ZIP code in Jefferson County is reporting 80% or greater when it comes to vaccination rates for those 60 and older,” Dr. Hartlage said. “When it comes to those who are ages 5 to 18 there are no ZIP codes above 80%.”
“Pretty much every ZIP code in Jefferson County is reporting 80% or greater when it comes to vaccination rates for those 60 and older,” Dr. Hartlage said. “When it comes to those who are ages 5 to 18 there are no ZIP codes above 80%.”
She also pointed out that more children in east Louisville are vaccinated than children living in the west or south parts of the city.
COVID-19 impacts on children
Dr. Bryant has been caring for children infected with COVID-19 throughout the pandemic.
“Historically, in our area, one of two kids out of 100 with COVID will get admitted to the hospital and some of those will be really sick. Some will be in the ICU. About one in 3,200 kids with COVID are going to get multisystem inflammatory disease, which is life-threatening,” Dr. Bryant said. “It’s not so common, but you can’t predict if that will be your child.”
Pediatric health experts said COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be safe and effective for children ages 5 and above.
“It is really uncommon for vaccinated kids to be admitted to the hospital for COVID,” Dr. Bryant said.
Ellis said at Kentucky Children’s Hospital unvaccinated children make up almost exclusively the children requiring ventilation or other special devices like ECMO.
“The more severe cases at Kentucky Children’s Hospital are from unvaccinated children,” Ellis said. “Also, it’s important to note many of those children have underlying health conditions such as obesity.”
Ellis and Dr. Bryant also discussed the long-term side effects of COVID-19 that are impacting children.
“Since the start of the pandemic, my group has seen about 125 kids with long symptoms of COVID and the symptoms are really similar to what you see in adults. Some of these symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, anxiety and depression. Some of them, just not feeling like themselves,” Dr. Bryant said.
“Mental health has been a huge component with these children,” Ellis said. “When you’re hospitalized for a long period of time, or if you’re not in school, or if you’re really sick, the mental health impacts of COVID have been astronomical.”
Health experts acknowledge parents have been hesitant to get their children vaccinated and encourage those parents to talk with their child’s healthcare provider about their concerns.
“The vaccine is protective,” Dr. Bryant said. “The CDC released data last week that during the omicron wave, the hospitalization rate among unvaccinated teenagers was six times higher than in fully vaccinated teenagers, and we know that multisystem inflammatory disease is much less common in kids who have been vaccinated.”
View this week’s COVID-19 briefing with public health officials here.
# # #
The city’s COVID-19 data dashboard, a complete list of COVID-19 testing sites, vaccine information, prevention and more can be found at www.louisvilleky.gov/covid19. The LOU HEALTH COVID19 Helpline is also available: 502-912-8598.
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This press release was produced by the City of Louisville. The views expressed here are the author’s own.