Utah health officials worried COVID-19 could spread to younger children
Jul 7, 2021, 5:59 PM | Updated: Jul 9, 2021, 11:43 am
The American Academy of Pediatrics says there were 61,000 new cases of COVID-19 in children in the last week of October 2020. Photo: Shutterstock via CNN
SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Department of Health said they’re concerned about COVID-19 spreading among unvaccinated children in younger groups.
Among Utah’s recent uptick in COVID-19 cases, the virus is mainly spreading among those 25-44 who are unvaccinated said Department of Health spokeswoman Jenny Johnson.
“We do worry that if this trend continues where we see these younger adults spreading the virus it could indicate that it could start spreading among younger populations quickly,” Johnson told KSL Newsradio.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox recently announced that 70% of Utah adults have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Utah Department of Health officials said that even with that many adults now vaccinated or partially vaccinated, trends in other countries with similar vaccination rates show more people in younger age groups are being infected.
“There’s no reason to think that Utah is going to be any different than anywhere else where it will start creeping down younger and younger,” Johnson said.
But she added there are some things parents can do to protect their children who aren’t eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 yet.
“The more people who get vaccinated the more protection there is in the community for those who can’t get vaccinated.”
The health department also recommends that anyone who is unvaccinated, including children, should wear masks. Johnson suggests even parents who are vaccinated should model wearing a mask to help their children feel more comfortable.
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