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Original poster

Reports from South Africa that omicron is disproportionately effecting under 5s

181 replies

Notsomerryandbright · 03/12/2021 23:16

I can’t see another thread title discussing this but I’ve just read that Health Officials in South Africa have reported they’ve had a disproportionate number of under 5s admitted into hospital with covid over the last 2 weeks, 29% classified as having severe infection.

I’m not trying to cause panic etc but this really worries me. Just wanted to start a thread in hope someone more knowledgeable will come along and make it seem less scary than the figures suggest.

www.news.com.au/world/africa/south-african-government-medical-adviser-reveals-how-omicron-is-hitting-under5s/news-story/995e5cb71b3e8d7d4ae159f92549b8d0

OP posts:
milkyaqua · 03/12/2021 23:25

I agree it is a concerning trend. I guess more data coming in will explain what is going on here.

julieca · 03/12/2021 23:29

That is scary. So they are saying it is over 60's and then under 5's ending up in hospital.

Itisasecret · 03/12/2021 23:33

People have bene quite happy to use children as a herd experiment, throughout the world. Children are the only age group people are happy to let infection rip through. Ethically and historically, I think that will come back to haunt us. I don't think it's any coincidence they have hit the panic button here re: vaccinating primary children. Which is the most impacted cohort in the UK. These children have no protection at all.

Itisasecret · 03/12/2021 23:34

*been

Languagethoughts · 03/12/2021 23:36

@Itisasecret

People have bene quite happy to use children as a herd experiment, throughout the world. Children are the only age group people are happy to let infection rip through. Ethically and historically, I think that will come back to haunt us. I don't think it's any coincidence they have hit the panic button here re: vaccinating primary children. Which is the most impacted cohort in the UK. These children have no protection at all.
I thought that the vaccine isn't (yet) licensed in the UK for children under 12. Has that changed? I agree that those graphs are concerning.
PrincessNutNuts · 03/12/2021 23:37

They cover this a bit on on Independent Sage today.

Itisasecret · 03/12/2021 23:39

It isn't but it's coming, far later than everywhere else too. Many Western countries are well ahead of us in vaccinating children. Which could mean we are worse off again if this impacts children. Let's be honest we haven't exactly been stopping them from catching Covid, quite the opposite. Which is in conflict with what other Western countries have done.

julieca · 03/12/2021 23:40

The assumption in Britain has always been that children are safe from coronavirus. If that really is not the case with this variant, the government have to start putting children first.

PurpleDaisies · 03/12/2021 23:41

I thought that the vaccine isn't (yet) licensed in the UK for children under 12.

This is correct. There are rumours there’ll be a change very soon though.

PrincessNutNuts · 03/12/2021 23:41

Boosters are going gang busters so that'll hopefully help the over 60s with the omicron wave.

Shimmylikejoanholloway · 03/12/2021 23:42

This is what’s really worrying me. I was worried headed into winter anyway, DS Is just about to turn two and can’t have much of an immune system to speak of anyway due to Covid lockdowns etc.
I’ve not seen any information on the severity so I’m presuming they don’t actually know yet but it seems worrying, although the actual number of hospital admissions in that age group seem to be in the 50s rather than hundreds but I imagine with the rate of increase that will go up :(

I think this is the most worried I’ve been since this all started actually

ShiftingSands21 · 03/12/2021 23:51

That article quotes Eric Feigl Ding so you can probs take it with a pinch of salt just now.

screwcovid · 03/12/2021 23:52

@ShiftingSands21

That article quotes Eric Feigl Ding so you can probs take it with a pinch of salt just now.
I know the guy is nuts
Prescottdanni123 · 03/12/2021 23:53

South Africa has some very poor areas. So possibly, these children are malnourished/not in the best of health to begin with?

All of this just shows how important it is that we get the populations of places like Africa vaccinated.

HelplesslyHoping · 04/12/2021 00:00

It is concerning, anyone who has a child with health problems is already concerned, at least now it might be take seriously when it comes to children.

Prescottdanni123 · 04/12/2021 00:03

What I mean is, if a country has a higher percentage of clinically vulnerable children, then a higher percentage are going to end up hospitalized. It may not necessarily mean that Omicron is more dangerous to children than other variants. Its still to early to know anything for sure.

Shimmylikejoanholloway · 04/12/2021 00:04

I’m trying to find the article which said that a very low amount of children with underlying health conditions had been admitted to hospital, but it was quite a confusing article with lots of different percentages so I’m not sure how reliable it is.

julieca · 04/12/2021 00:04

@Prescottdanni123 yes maybe. But South Africa have had other variants and not seen as high a proportion of under-fives hospitalised.

Itisasecret · 04/12/2021 00:06

@Prescottdanni123

South Africa has some very poor areas. So possibly, these children are malnourished/not in the best of health to begin with?

All of this just shows how important it is that we get the populations of places like Africa vaccinated.

Even so, the same applies to adults. So what this is showing (apparently) is that children are potentially more impacted. The adults in these areas will be malnourished/in poor health too.
nocoolnamesleft · 04/12/2021 00:08

God, I hope that isn't accurate. Between the bad RSV season, and all the other respiratory viruses circulating, most paediatric wards are already hitting full on a regular basis. Winter rarely has spare capacity, and this is already a bad winter.

julieca · 04/12/2021 00:09

For the first time this new variant has frightened me.

3cats4poniesandababy · 04/12/2021 00:11

I have an under 2 year old. I want data from children who don't live in poverty. I have also heard/read from ndwz reports that most of the young Cholderton admitted have unvacinnated parents.

Unfortunately South Africa has some very poor areas and a lot of poverty. I also wonder if the time of seeking medical help changes - IE we have the NHS so are parents more able (don't have to pay) to seek medical intervention earlier so therefore children avoid hospitisation.

Third and final (for now) point - they are saying a higher proportion of hospitisations are children but that doesn't mean a higher percentage of infections. Again this is data I want to see before making judgement.

Prescottdanni123 · 04/12/2021 00:11

@julieca @Itisasecret

Approx 25% of adults have been vaccinated in South Africa. That might account for some of it.

I'm not saying that this isn't an issue. Because it might be. I'm just saying its maybe best to wait to find out more before panicking. There are other variables which can affect how an age group is impacted.

PrincessNutNuts · 04/12/2021 00:14

@Itisasecret

People have bene quite happy to use children as a herd experiment, throughout the world. Children are the only age group people are happy to let infection rip through. Ethically and historically, I think that will come back to haunt us. I don't think it's any coincidence they have hit the panic button here re: vaccinating primary children. Which is the most impacted cohort in the UK. These children have no protection at all.
I can't bear it when people talk about how brilliant it is that making children ill boosts the country's immunity for a little while.

They are our children that we should be protecting - not using.

I also think that removing protections in schools will turn out to be one of the very worst things to have been done in this pandemic. On several fronts.

Prescottdanni123 · 04/12/2021 00:17

And as @3cats4poniesandababy says, at one point in the progression of the illness are these parents able to get their children seen by a doctor?