New Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research shows cases of children and teens requiring serious medical care for COVID-19 climbed significantly this summer, especially in states with low vaccination rates.

The findings underscore the need to vaccinate eligible teens and the communities surrounding younger children, and reiterate the value of masks, adequate ventilation and social distancing.

Although kids and teens with COVID-19 generally have milder symptoms, severe illnesses do occur and can land young people in hospitals and intensive care units. Infected youths also risk developing complications such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

Rates of COVID-19 cases, emergency department visits and hospitalizations among newborns, children and teens rose steeply this summer to approach levels last seen during the January surge.

Although the timing corresponded with the rise to prominence of the delta variant, experts do not yet know whether the more infectious strain drove the rise.  

The percentage of hospitalizations that led to ICU admissions also rose, from 10-25% during August 2020 through June 2021 to 18-20% during July and August 2021.

In the final two weeks of August, hospital and emergency department admissions were almost four times higher in states with lower vaccination coverage, especially in the South. Conversely, the highest vaccination coverage, lowest COVID-19 incidence and lowest rate of hospitalizations among young people  occurred in New England.