Kansas City Star: Omicron is sending more Kansas City kids to the hospital. Here's what parents should know.
By Kynala Phillips
Hospitals like Children’s Mercy are admitting more children than in previous phases of the pandemic.
When children are experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19, including common cold and upper respiratory symptoms like a runny nose, they should be tested for COVID-19, according to Children's Mercy's Chief Emergency Management Medical Officer Dr. Jennifer Watts.
“If your child has an issue, if your child has a runny nose, if your child has a cough, if your child has a symptom that is not life threatening, then it’s okay to go ahead and call your pediatrician,” Watts said.
The way hospitals are treating kids battling COVID-19 has also evolved, according to Infectious Diseases Division Director Dr. Angela Myers.
The hospital has a newer antibody treatment that has been shown to work against omicron for kids 12 and up, but doses are limited. Hospitals like Children’s Mercy receive doses from a state-issued allocation on a weekly basis.
“We do have a few doses of the newer monoclonal antibody that is effective against omicron, but that is really only under authorization for kids 12 and above and who weigh 40 or more kilos and also have a significant risk factor for severe disease,” Myers said.
She said Children’s Mercy is actively scheduling infusion appointments for kids who meet that criteria.
Read the full article via The Kansas City Star
COVID-19 Testing at Children's Mercy
COVID-19 Vaccine at Children's Mercy