COVID-19 cases among kids in B.C.

“Children aged five to 11 in British Columbia had been contracting COVID-19 at higher rates compared with kids in other age groups, but an uptick in vaccination rates has helped reduce those numbers, health officials said Thursday. The province says 550 cases were diagnosed between Oct. 26 and Nov. 1 from 14,295 total cases in that age group since the pandemic began. One of those children went to hospital this week, and between Oct. 26 and Nov., one received critical care, health officials said, as they presented their latest epidemiological modelling during a live news conference.

A total of 56 children aged five and 11 have been admitted to hospital with COVID-19 in B.C. since the pandemic began and four of them required critical care. The province says cases among kids aged nine to 11 rose the most a few weeks after the start of the school year. However, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said there have been no hospitalizations in fully vaccinated youth aged 12 to 17 since July. 

‘[The vaccine] is working extremely well. We’ve had very few cases and we’ve had no hospitalizations. That’s important for us to think about as vaccines are now becoming available for the younger age group as well,’ she said.” 

Read more on COVID-19 cases among kids in B.C. saw highest rise among those 5 to 11 but are declining, health officials say via CBC News.