The escalating crisis, however, has not had much political impact so far, even in the states that are hardest hit by Delta. Governors of the GOP and state officials who opposed vaccine mandates, mask regulations and other public health tools against Covid-19 are still sticking to those policies. The unprecedented outbreak of children's infections has not affected parents of school-age children. Nearly 60% said that they oppose the requirement of shots for children attending school in person according to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey. Pollsters were also told by almost 70% of Republican parents that they oppose school mask mandates.Doctors and health officials struggle to manage the increasing number of sick children in the face of such inaction.Mark Wietecha CEO of the Children's Hospital Association said that there are problems everywhere. Our children's hospital intensive-care units are at capacity if they are not close to capacity. Children are often admitted to the emergency department using gurneys.Hospitals delayed elective procedures when Covid cases rose in adults last year. They also commandeered beds that were normally used by other patients and hired temporary staff from other states. With cases in adults increasing, many facilities are reverting to these tactics. Wietecha stated that most of these strategies are not suitable for children. Pediatric patients need specialized equipment and staff, and virtually all procedures are elective.Doctors and scientists are unsure if Delta is causing children to be more sick than the Covid variants. According to the CDC, the overwhelming majority of children who get the virus don't need hospitalization. Pediatric deaths make up less that one-tenth percent of all pandemic deaths. While states take longer to investigate pediatric deaths than other states, this lag can still impact the conclusion that Covid-19 is far more dangerous for adults.Health professionals are becoming more concerned that children are being seen in worsening conditions than ever before during the pandemic. As 2021 began to experience severe staffing shortages, children's hospitals had already been struggling. States were already scrambling to address previous Covid surges in adult cases. This left facilities for children unable to cope with even a slight increase in pediatric cases.We were crowded at New York's Lincoln Center, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, Texas, Miami. Wietecha stated that you can walk right around the horn. They are filled to the brim, each bed. We don't usually have this in August.Rural states like Mississippi and Arkansas have the worst conditions. There is usually only one major children's hospital and low vaccination rates. The start of school has also contributed to outbreaks. According to Jose Romero (Arkansas' health secretary), children's hospitals are stretched to breaking point and he said that his state was a "bellwether" for what is coming to other states.Childrens of Mississippi hospital in Jackson has seen many patients wait hours for a bed because of the high number of coronavirus and RSV cases. According to Mary Taylor, pediatrics chair, the hospital has seen between 13-16 children with Covid admitted at once in recent days. This is twice the number that it saw during January's peak.She stated that people mistakenly assume that Delta isn't a danger to children, particularly if they are in crowded schools with no masks.She said that there were no symptoms in the first round of testing. They are now more symptomatic, have a greater chance of spreading the disease and seem to be getting sicker.The shots are not available to children younger than 12 years old. This means that most of the children at the hospital aren't vaccinated. The American Academy of Pediatrics wrote last week to the FDA requesting that the FDA allow Covid-19 vaccines to be available for children under 11. According to the organization's own data, 71,000 children were infected with new bacteria between July and August. This is the largest week-over-week rise since the outbreak of the pandemic.We were all holding our breaths as school started because we know that schools can be a place in which respiratory viruses take root like wildfire. Buddy Creech, chair of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Pediatrics Department, stated that record-breaking admissions are being made to their children's hospital.To stem the rising tide of cases, some hospital systems and providers are asking schools to require masks. Arkansas Children's Hospital joined other hospitals, medical organizations and doctors in asking schools to require masks for all students regardless of their vaccination status. This is possible because a judge has blocked the state from banning masks.Arkansas Republican Governor said that 19 percent of hospitalizations are now for adolescents. This is a higher percentage than the original virus. Asa Hutchinson signed the ban on masks, but later regretted it. This is a problem because it only takes a few more children to make it difficult for hospitals to provide adequate care.Hutchinson stated that the Biden administration sent an federal team to Arkansas to assess its hospital capacity, make recommendations and provide resources. However, he is concerned it won't be enough.They said that they would provide more support if needed, but he acknowledged that there are limitations.Yet, even though infections are on the rise and children's hospital capacities shrink, conservative policy makers have not stopped opposing mask mandates and other steps that experts believe would help to stop the spread of the virus at schools.South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster said that masks are not necessary in schools at the moment. Henry McMaster spoke Monday to reporters, accusing scientists and the media of exaggerating and engaging in hyperbole regarding the danger to children.McMaster and other GOP leaders argue that the decision to wear a face mask and receive a vaccine should be left up to each family. However, many parents are still not convinced.The Kaiser Family Foundations poll found that 20 percent of parents, and 40 percent, of Republican parents, say they won't vaccinate their children aged 12-17 years old. These children are eligible for the shot. Only 25% of parents with children aged 5-11 said that they would get their child vaccinated if federal regulators allowed it.Frank Luntz, Republican messaging specialist and the de Beaumont Foundation, a health-focused foundation, conducted a separate poll. They found similar partisan divisions over students getting vaccinations. However they saw evidence that parents are being forced to reconsider the requirement for masks due to the recent rise of the Delta. Nearly 85 percent of respondents said that Delta has made them more inclined to support a school mask mandate.Hospitals remain pessimistic about any dramatic changes in state policy or public behavior. They are asking the federal government for assistance, asking for more resources to help children's hospitals under the Democrats $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, which could be passed in the fall.Wietecha, CEO of Children's Hospital Association, stated that there aren't enough beds or caregivers. As you can see, we don't have enough surge capacity. It won't be fixed overnight. But if we don't get started, it will never be fixed.Rachel Roubein contributed to the report.
