Respiratory illness in children up as COVID-19 surges in northern Michigan

MANISTEE COUNTY – With the COVID-19 positivity rate in Northern Michigan nearly 3% higher than the national average, local health officials are concerned about what this means for unvaccinated students entering cold and flu season.

Dr. Christine Nefcy, chief medical officer at Munson Healthcare, reported a positivity rate of 11.7% for the region compared to 8.8% for the state.

“I want to point out something that is a little different on this spike from what we’ve seen on the previous spikes in this pandemic, and that is that our percentage positivity rate is higher than that of the state,” Nefcy said on a virtual Press conference on Tuesday.

The current spike in COVID-19 cases has also taken longer than previous spikes, according to Nefcy.

“This is a little different from what we’ve seen in previous increases, where we’ve seen a linear increase and then a decrease in cases, and we’ve really been pretty consistent in our (hospital) numbers … for some time now” , called them. “We think this probably has to do with the fact that we vaccinated so many people, but we’re not entirely sure why this increase is different.”

Michigan has also seen an increase in the number of pediatric cases of COVID-19 affecting health officials like Nefcy.

“We’re seeing a lot of cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is typically a winter virus that we see in children, and we’ve started seeing some cases of flu. So there is a little concern that all three of these viruses are co-occurring and what that could mean for our pediatric population, ”said Nefcy.

In the 10 counties that make up the No. 10 District Health Department – which includes Manistee County – the number of children ages 0-18 increased from a positivity rate of 1.7% in early July to 14.3% in September .

According to Dr. Jim Robertson, a pediatrician with the Kids Creek Children’s Clinic in Traverse City, is reflected in an increasing number of RSV cases in children.

“About a year and a half ago we got very little respiratory disease, probably because everyone stayed home and the masking, but as soon as school started that year it came back with a vengeance,” said Robertson. “The numbers are higher in the past three weeks than they have been in eight years when it comes to seeing children for respiratory problems.”

RSV is a respiratory virus similar to the flu and coronavirus and is most active in fall through winter.

“This year we’re seeing it a lot earlier than ever,” said Robertson. “It won’t be much different for preschool or kindergarten children than a normal cold. But when there are babies in the house and they are brought home, it can be a much more serious and serious disease. “

“We’re seeing numbers sooner than ever and a lot of it is in the community right now,” he continued.

Nefcy said the data showed schools with a mask mandate had a lower rate of positivity than those without the requirement.

“The American Academy of Pediatrics, the CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services all strongly recommend masking in school,” Nefcy said. “This masking protects both the children and the teachers and families of these children. … We continue to recommend that you follow the data and mask your children to prevent not only the spread of COVID-19, but also the spread of influenza and RSV. “

Influenza and RSV can have symptoms similar to COVID-19, and it’s a more transmissible Delta variant, so testing is paramount, according to Nefcy.

“So that you know what is going on and whether you need to be quarantined to protect others, we recommend you if you have symptoms of upper respiratory problems, runny nose, cough, fever, sore throat or loss of smell, loss of taste … any Symptoms, please get tested, ”said Nefcy.

Early testing is also critical, as monoclonal antibody therapies used to treat patients with COVID-19 must be completed within the first 10 days of symptoms appear to be effective in preventing more serious complications.

“COVID-19 still has a death rate of over 2%, which is about 20 times higher than what we normally see with our seasonal influenza rate,” said Nefcy.

There are still plenty of resources available for people to get tested for COVID-19, including at most GPs, some pharmacies, and the DHD # 10 office, though Nefcy warns against going to the hospital or emergency center to get tests done to visit.

“In our Munson Healthcare area, as well as across the state, we are seeing many problems with staffing and very busy emergency rooms and urgent medical care,” she said. “When these urgent care and emergency rooms are filled with people just waiting for tests that don’t really need to be seen or treated … that of course delays the care we could provide to people who need it more urgently.”

Nefcy recommends that people consider the emergency room if they have difficulty breathing, have a high fever, or are too weak to eat or drink.

“When you have many other comorbidities that increase your risk, and you have symptoms that include your ability to go to work, go to school, do your daily activities – these are all reasons we want you to step in (Emergency care). “

Related:

The Manistee region has seen an almost four-fold increase in COVID-19 percent positivity

CDC: Manistee County “high” risk for transmitting COVID-19

source https://www.bisayanews.com/2021/09/29/respiratory-illness-in-children-up-as-covid-19-surges-in-northern-michigan/