Almost 50 children per day are testing positive for COVID-19 in Stanislaus County
In Stanislaus County, about 45 children per day have been testing positive for COVID-19 this month.
The coronavirus delta variant more readily infects children than previous versions of the infectious disease.
Modesto Mayor Sue Zwahlen mentioned the elevated rate of child infections in a 1-minute, 38-second video Thursday urging people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and also protect vulnerable kids who are not eligible for the COVID vaccine.
The county Health Services Agency confirmed that a daily average of 45 children, age 14 and under, tested positive for COVID between Aug. 5 and Aug. 11, and more cases are recorded each day. Infections in children have represented 9 percent of Stanislaus County coronavirus cases over the course of the pandemic.
But a rate of 45 positive tests per day would push that to 30 percent of all cases. The county reported 1,025 cases in all age groups Aug. 5-11, according to a county dashboard.
The 315 cases in children age 14 and under in a single week came after the county recorded 352 cases in children and adolescents for the entire month of July.
“Currently, the vaccine is not available to those under age 12,” the mayor said. “They are counting on the rest of us to keep them safe. Getting vaccinated is one more way that we show we care about each other, our children and our community’s health.”
Zwahlen said in the video that more than 50 children are testing positive most days. A county spokesperson explained that some days the daily total was above 45 and some days it was below the average.
Zwahlen also noted that hospital and intensive care unit admissions have increased 500 percent in the county over the last month.
She said unvaccinated people are 25 times more likely to be hospitalized and 24 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than vaccinated individuals. Thursday’s video had 146 views in a county of 557,000 residents.
Modesto mayor discusses findings
Zwahlen said Friday she was not surprised to learn about 50-case daily increases of children testing positive.
“I was not surprised because I would expect more children would have it,” said Zwahlen, a retired emergency room nurse. “They are back in school and we are still slow to be vaccinated in our community, in my opinion. I would imagine more and more children are going to test positive until we have more people vaccinated and we slow the spread.”
County data shows 223,648 residents are fully vaccinated and another 63,345 are partly vaccinated.
Zwahlen read a statement for Thursday’s public service announcement in English and Councilwoman Rosa Escutia-Braaton delivered a message in Spanish.
When asked if the city will get more involved with messaging to slow the spread of COVID-19, the mayor said she’s willing to do what it takes to get the message out.
California began seeing an increase in children testing positive for COVID in July, when the 4,835 cases in children and adolescents (age zero to 17) in the first two weeks of July jumped to 13,757 between July 15 and July 28, according to infectious disease epidemiologist George Lemp.
The delta surge has run counter to an earlier perception that children are less likely to catch and spread the coronavirus. It is believed more children are getting infected this time because the delta variant is twice as contagious as other strains and replicates faster in the nose and throat.
Stanislaus County offers numbers
Stanislaus County recorded 352 cases in children and adolescents in July, including 193 cases in those younger than 12 years old and 159 in kids age 12 to 17.
The county released the number of child cases for the one week in August but did not have a total count for the month thus far.
Like most adults, children infected with COVID may experience a fever and cough and recover at home. But some develop more serious symptoms that require medical attention.
Valley Children’s had 89 ED visits
Valley Children’s Hospital near Madera had 89 emergency department visits due to COVID-19 the week of Aug. 9 and 12 children hospitalized for COVID. Of the 1,168 tests done that week, 108 were positive for COVID, a 9.3 percent positive rate, which was up from 8.7 percent the previous week, according to a social media post.
Dr. Hailey Nelson, a pediatrician for Valley Children’s Healthcare, said the number of child cases is going up because of the delta variant and kids returning to school and activities.
Nelson advised families that if children test positive, it’s important for them to stay home and keep from spreading the virus.
She said parents can give a child Tylenol and ibuprofen to treat the symptoms such as fever. Nelson said she’s doing some telemedicine visits with young COVID patients and their parents.
A cough with difficulty breathing is a symptom that warrants bringing a COVID-positive child to the emergency department, Nelson said. If a COVID-positive child stops eating and drinking, or gets dehydrated, it’s another warning sign to bring them in, the doctor said.
Valley Children’s Healthcare has recommended vaccinations for those in the eligible 12-and-older age group who don’t have a contraindication for using COVID vaccine.
“It will decrease how many times they get sent home from school and decrease the chances of going to the hospital,” Nelson said. Other precautions for kids are masking, washing hands and cleaning protocols, she added.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-associated hospital admissions of children and adolescents age 5 to 17 in California are still lower than the numbers last winter, though a record number of children are being hospitalized in the United States.
Stanislaus County has reported one fatal case of coronavirus in a child since the virus was first detected here in March 2020.
Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in early August the “odds are high” a COVID vaccine for children under 12 will get approval in the current school year or by the end of 2021, according to The Hill.
The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency has information about getting vaccinated, walk-up clinics and testing at www.schsa.org.
This story was originally published August 21, 2021 at 8:15 AM.
