BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Dr. Karl Yu, a clinical assistant professor of pediatrics at the University at Buffalo said the increase in COVID cases in schools is because vaccination rates are the lowest among children.
"If the vaccine were going anywhere, it would be going to those people who didn't have prior vaccination or infection with COVID-19. Children happen to be the largest group of this," Dr. Yu said.
Dr. Yu said if more children are vaccinated, it should help. But it depends on how well parents in the community will be about getting their children vaccinated. He also said children are likely contracting COVID-19 in schools.
"The vast majority of kids will be fine if they catch COVID. However, a smaller number might be hospitalized. A small number do end up in the ICU," Dr. Yu said, "We have many patients who have been admitted in the children's hospital with COVID and I basically ask them, where do you think you got it and they basically say okay there was this classmate."
Dr. Yu said right now, more COVID patients have been admitted to the children's hospital than ever before.
"We do not have a lot admitted, thank God. It's only a small handful. But it's higher now than it has been in the past," Dr. Yu said.
Dr. Yu said if vaccination rates among children don't increase, the rate of COVID in schools is unlikely to change.
"We will have the status quo for a very long time. That's pretty much it. The epidemic will not end until we have herd immunity," Dr. Yu said.
