COVID-19 infections are increasing or likely increasing in 45 states, according to recent CDC estimates based on emergency department visit data.
Here are four notes:
- The time-varying reproductive number, which estimates how many people each infected person is passing the virus to, is 1.09 nationwide. The number, combined with a 99.85% probability that the epidemic is growing, shows transmission is on the rise.
- Despite a rise in transmission, 0.87% of emergency department visits are related to COVID-19, which the CDC categorizes as a low burden.
- The rise in transmissions comes as there is growing uncertainty about vaccine access for children younger than 5, The New York Times reported Aug. 11. The FDA is considering rescinding emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for the age group and if it does, there will be no authorized vaccine available for healthy children younger than 5.
- Children younger than 1 face a similar risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 as adults older than 65 and high-risk children could struggle to access vaccines if providers opt out of carrying them because of limited demand or regulatory confusion, the Times reported.
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