Allegheny County Reported 773 Pediatric COVID Cases In August

Pittsburgh PA

09 September, 2021

6:26 PM

Description

By PublicSource, Public Source September 8, 2021 PublicSource has been tracking COVID-19's spread on a daily basis since March 2020. More than a year later, in an effort to direct our resources into enterprise reporting on the pandemic and other important issues, we will cover the Allegheny County Health Department's weekly briefing on Wednesdays and update the numbers on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We may adjust as the prevalence of the coronavirus ebbs and flows. If you have questions or comments, please email PublicSource's managing editor [email protected]. COVID-19 cases among children in Allegheny County are continuing to rise as K-12 schools reopen, with children 12 and younger now making up 12% of all reported cases, Health Department Director Dr. Debra Bogen said in a Wednesday briefing. COVID-19 cases among children in Allegheny County are continuing to rise as K-12 schools reopen, with children 12 and younger now making up 12% of all reported cases, Health Department Director Dr. Debra Bogen said in a Wednesday briefing. The virus has spread rapidly through the summer, with the county reporting 67 cases among children 12 and younger in June, 157 in July and 773 in August. Children under age 12 are not yet eligible to receive a COVID vaccine. The Pennsylvania Department of Health issued a mandate requiring masks to be worn indoors in public and private schools statewide to prevent cases from surging as children return to school. Cases in Allegheny County remain high overall, with an average of 280 new cases reported each day last week. The county reported 450 new cases today alone, with more than half classified as "probable." The county considers a case probable if they are diagnosed by an antigen test or if a person develops symptoms after being in close contact with a case. Cases are considered "confirmed" if they have been diagnosed through a positive PCR test. "We know that cases are going up," Bogen said. "We know the Delta variant is driving the surge. We know that kids are getting cases more, especially those who are not eligible for the vaccines. And we know that many new cases continue to be traced back to gatherings where mitigation guidelines are mostly not observed." About 71% of Allegheny County residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, which has helped to keep death and hospitalization rates lower than the spring. The county recorded 46 deaths in August, and Bogen believes this may slightly increase due to a lag in reporting. — By PublicSource intern Amelia Winger Allegheny County last week released COVID-19 vaccination data by ZIP codes, with the county's top health official saying they would use the information to combat inequity in the response to the virus. Bogen said the county would update the data every month. Below is an interactive map showing the percentage of residents aged 10 or older who were at least partially vaccinated as of Aug. 14. ZIP codes with the highest vaccination rates included Baldwin, Wexford, Upper St. Clair and Pittsburgh neighborhoods Squirrel Hill and Lawrenceville. The areas with the lowest vaccination rates in the county included Rankin, Braddock and part of McKeesport, each under 45%. Resources COVID vaccine resources in the Pittsburgh region Housing and mental health supports amid COVID in Allegheny County Allegheny County's COVID-19 resource page with links to information on vaccines, testing sites and quarantine basics Allegheny County's map of vaccination sites (For more information or help with scheduling an appointment through Allegheny County's Area Agency on Aging, residents can call 412-350-4234.) Pennsylvania's COVID-19 vaccine rollout page This article was produced by PublicSource.org, a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. PublicSource tells stories for a better Pittsburgh. Sign up for their free email newsletters at publicsource.org/newsletters.