Record numbers of children are being hospitalized with colds and respiratory problems fter their immunity was weakened by social distancing and masks, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CDC found that a historically high number of inpatients under 18 years old were struggling with common viruses following the covid pandemic according to the Mail Online.
Experts have repeatedly warned that lockdowns and measures used to contain Covid like the wearing of face masks also suppressed the spread of germs which are crucial for building a strong immune system in children.
While the report only looked at August 2021, separate data from the CDC also indicates that hospital visits for children under four years old with respiratory problems may also be getting worse.
Summit News reports: The figures show the highest levels of children with respiratory illnesses ever recorded in summer. The levels were more consistent with December of previous years.
The data was compiled from hospitals in seven different states including Washington, Texas, New York and Ohio.
Commenting on the findings, Dr Scott Roberts, a medical director at Yale University stated that lockdowns impacted the ability of children to build up immunity to common illnesses.
“There are two implications to this,” the doctor said, explaining “First, the gap gives time for the viruses to mutate even further to cause more severe disease.”
“And second, whatever immunity was built up to those viruses’ it will have waned making the immune response now much less potent,” Roberts added.
The doctor also noted that children, including his own son are now getting “constant infections.”
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