Health experts say COVID-19′s impact on children in Louisiana is devastating

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - Younger people are a driving force of COVID-19 in Louisiana and now the age is getting even younger. In a briefing Friday, Governor John Bell Edwards and state health leaders talked about its devastating effect on children.

State health experts said young individuals, as young as infants, are getting and spreading the virus. Pediatrician Dr. Kim Muckerjee said children have carried the heaviest weight of this pandemic. Data shows 28 percent of cases in the state are people under the age of 18.

Health experts appealed to residents. saying we’ve failed our children who are contracting the virus when there are preventable measures available. They urged people to follow CDC recommendations to get vaccinated and wear masks.

“We are dealing with a completely different animal than what we saw last year. This delta variant is highly transmissible in kids. We know kids are getting sick. We are seeing a high positivity rate in our clinics. This is unprecedented. Unprecedented numbers of children in our hospital systems sick with COVID, including in the ICU,” said Dr. Muckerjee.

Muckerjee said the virus’ long term impact on children goes beyond the disease. State leaders are asking people not to politicize the public health emergency at hand and to help stop the spread.

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