LONDON, March 14, 2022 (Xinhua) — Up to a third of all deaths from COVID-19 among US children have occurred during the omicron wave of the pandemic, reports The Guardian.
“Children appear to be at increasing risk from COVID-19, even as mask requirements are falling across the country and childhood vaccination rates remain at alarmingly low levels,” the British newspaper said on Friday.
Citing data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the report said 550 children have died from COVID-19 in the United States since early 2022, compared with 1,017 children in the previous 22 months. The figures refer to the 0-17 age group and their mortality rate is still the lowest compared to other age groups.
The omicron variant was first identified in November and within a few weeks became the dominant variant in the United States, it said.
Although the omicron variant is less severe than the delta variant, it is three to five times deadlier than the pre-delta variants in the general population, according to The Guardian, citing a recent January CDC study.
(according to Xinhua News Agency)
