Experts call for increased vigilance as COVID-19 cases increase in k

ids The number of new cases of COVID-19 have increased steadily over the past weeks, both in Wisconsin and nationwide. New and more infectious variants, such as the UK strain (B.1.1.7), combined with a loosening of the mitigation strategies have turned states like Michigan into hotspots and fed new outbreaks among children linked to youth sports, schools and extracurricular activities. In the past few weeks, Wisconsin is seeing more cases in individuals under 18 years old than any other age group.

With more infectious variants on the rise in Wisconsin, there has also been a significant increase in potential outbreaks (nearly 470) in educational settings that are being investigated. Over the course of the year, Wisconsin schools developed robust and effective mitigation protocols to help prevent in-school transmission of COVID-19. As more children in the community become infected, most often through increasing social interactions outside of school, school-based exposures have become more common. A high density of youth sports is also occurring often without sufficient attention to prevention efforts. As most children are not yet vaccinated, higher-risk interactions occurring more regularly is raising concern within the medical community.

“While the development of the COVID-19 vaccine has been a modern medical triumph, and we are extremely optimistic about the data we’re seeing about its effectiveness in younger kids, now is not the time to get complacent,” said Dr. Michael Gutzeit, chief medical officer of Children’s Wisconsin. “We have come so far and we all have a role to play in limiting the spread of COVID-19. Until the vaccine is available to all ages, we strongly encourage everyone to continue to wear a mask, continue to practice social distancing when possible and, as always, continue to wash your hands thoroughly and often. Prevention remains the most effective strategy in overcoming this pandemic and we know these safety precautions work and can go a long way to limiting the spread of the disease.”

“It is our collective responsibility to protect the health and well-being of our most important and precious resource – our children,” said Ellen Wald, chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “Together, we must assure continued adherence to the mitigation strategies that we know to be extremely effective in providing protection during in-person school and cocurricular activities, including athletics. As custodians of the safety of our children, please join in this effort.”