1/ Q: How can I get my younger child/sibling to wear a mask?
A: With lots of encouragement!
2/ Many states require that children wear masks. We continue to recommend that children wear masks (based on the evidence that we have). 😷
3/ A few tips:
-Masks are only to be worn by children 2+
-For children w/developmental concerns, masks may be difficult to use & some families are opting for face shields facebook.com/dearpandemic/p…
4/ Tips cont'd:
-Parent guidance should be consistent regarding masks (it is easier for children to follow a rule in all environments rather than in some only-however if alone/with siblings and outside away from people, parents may consider allowing a mask break)
5/ We know that it is difficult to encourage adults to wear masks..... let alone children. But, children are surprisingly good at learning new things.
So go ahead and encourage those little ones to be germ busters! #SafeHands#virusmask#KidsTogether
1/ Q: Has almost everyone been infected with COVID by now?
A: Recent estimates suggest around 58% of the population in the US and over 70% in England have been previously infected, with BIG increases during the Omicron wave.
3/ ➡️ During the Omicron wave from December 2021-February 2022, this estimate increased from 33% to 58%.
➡️ Rates vary a lot by age, ranging from 33.2% for those over age 65 to 75% for those under age 18.
2/ Not likely. If your kids are suddenly getting sick a lot, this is likely due to “catching up” on exposures rather than a weakened immune system.
3/ Many families w/ young kids have been hunkered down for the better part of 2 years– a good % of a young child’s entire life. While isolation had *many* downsides, we can agree that not having to suction snot out of infant noses or clean up norovirus puke was a happy upside.
1/ Q: Are cases peaking? That means it’s all downhill from here, right?
A: Sort of…. Remember that even if cases come down as quickly as they rise, there will be as many cases *after* the peak as before (think area under the curve).
2/ ➡️ And if the downward slope is *slower* than the rise, we will see *more* cases during the decline from a surge.
3/ Burning fast could be a silver lining of super transmissible #Omicron. Cases rose & fell quickly in S. Africa (w/ hospitalizations & deaths still lagging). The UK appears to have turned the Omicron corner. Many US states appear past their peak in cases, w/ regional variation:
Unfortunately, this includes New Year’s Eve plans. The perfect storm of a new variant & holiday get-togethers is hitting communities & health care w/ FORCE! Testing is in short supply.
3/ Health care is under extreme pressure with surging cases. If you can avoid even one additional contact, you are helping. This is a temporary and urgent request (from a health care provider).