Children account for significant number of COVID-19 cases

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Elementary school children continue to account for a significant number of reported COVID-19 cases in Haldimand and Norfolk.

On Monday, the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit reported 218 cases in the past 14 days. Of those cases, 37 per cent have been among children under 18 years of age. Twenty-six per cent were children aged five to 11; seven per cent were those aged 12 to 17, and four per cent were children up to four years old.

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On Tuesday, the province announced there were 928 new COVID-19 cases of which 312 or 34 per cent, involved those aged 19 and younger.

Dr. Katherine Bishop-Williams, an epidemiologist with the health unit, said some of those children have infected family members after bringing it into their homes.

“Many of these cases have been amongst unvaccinated parents and siblings,” said Bishop-Williams. “Some children who are still too young to be vaccinated (those four years old and younger) have also acquired COVID-19 at home from their school-aged siblings.

“Additionally, we’ve seen cases of COVID-19 in teachers and bus drivers that have been acquired through school-related exposures.”

There are currently COVID-19 outbreaks at six local elementary schools, including Port Rowan Public School, which recorded 22 cases and is temporarily closed.

While Bishop-Williams said there are a number of reasons for the increase of infection in younger people compared to earlier in the pandemic.

“While much of this is speculation, the main difference for children in this fourth wave, compared to earlier waves, is that schools have remained open despite increased incidence of infection in the community. It’s also generally recognized that the Delta variant appears to be associated with increased symptomology compared to the earlier strains of the virus.”

Bishop-Williams said it’s also worth noting that as infections among the adult population decrease in number, the proportion of cases among children will inevitably increase.

“As the vaccine is increasingly readily available and children become eligible for their second doses, disease dynamics will likely shift to see fewer cases in that population.”

There are 8,500 children aged five to 11 in Haldimand and Norfolk who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Matthew Strauss, acting medical officer of health, said that despite the increased number of infections among those under 18, it’s important to keep children in school.

“COVID-19 can be deathly for older adults, particularly those with other medical problems or those who are unvaccinated,” said Strauss. “Conversely, it tends not to cause serious illness in children. The mortality risk to children appears to be somewhere between one in 100,000 to one in a million.

“Of course, we don’t want any children to die of COVID-19 but we also don’t want any to die of other problems. At this point in the pandemic, it seems clear that lockdowns are seriously detrimental to children’s health. One may speak of substance use, physical inactivity, social isolation, learning loss, physical abuse and neglect, economic deprivation, eating disorders, depression, anxiety and self-harm.”

Strauss said children need school, sports and socialization, calling them “crucial, not optional” parts of development.

As of Monday morning, 9.7 per cent of children aged five to 11 in Haldimand and Norfolk had received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Bishop-Williams said some clinics are being offered as “kids only” and the health unit is making shifts in the set-up of clinics to make them more kid-friendly. This includes slowing the pace, hosting children in smaller and more private settings, and providing toys to distract them from receiving their shots.