COVID rates among young children continue to rise

BURLINGTON, Vermont (WCAX) – We know that young children currently make up a large portion of COVID cases in Vermont, but how big?

The Vermont Department of Health generates data that examines infections by age group. Latest figures from mid-September to mid-October show newborns to 11 years old – a group that is currently 100% unvaccinated – have the highest infection rate, with 43 cases per 10,000 The second highest group is 12 to 29 year olds, with just under 31 cases per 10,000. Adults between 20 and 59 are a close third.

But those rates don’t always look that way. At the start of the pandemic, adults had the most cases. Then, in October of last year, teens and adults up to age 60 accounted for the largest increases. Later, the infection rate among adolescents took off, reaching its highest rate last March. Cases dropped dramatically until delta arrived in July. Once school started, the youngest children had the highest infection rate of any group throughout the pandemic.

One thing adults should keep in mind – COVID presents itself differently between children and adults. State data shows that the number one symptom in children is a runny nose and they are usually sick for five days. For adults, they are more likely to cough and stay sick for a whole week.

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