By Dr. Karen Landers
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) reports a significant increase in pediatric cases of COVID-19 at this time of year, compared to the same time in 2020. Coupled with this increase in cases, ADPH notes that at least 50 children are hospitalized statewide and as many as nine children have been on ventilators in a single day.
“I am very concerned that the children of Alabama are experiencing more illness and hospitalizations as a result of COVID-19,” ADPH pediatrician Dr. Karen Landers said. “Children can and do contract and spread COVID-19 disease. COVID-19 can be a very serious illness in children with at least 6% of children experiencing long-term consequences of this disease.
“Further, at least 113 children in our state have suffered from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, a severe illness that occurs after COVID disease and affects several organs, including the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys, among other body systems,” she said.
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