State confirms 3 pediatric deaths from COVID-19
Published 3:04 pm Tuesday, March 1, 2022
- (Metro Creative Services)
The Louisiana Department of Health has confirmed three pediatric deaths of the Omicron surge. A total of 21 children under 18 have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic in Louisiana.
Two of the children were under 5. The third child was between 5-17. The deaths took place in the past week. There were nine pediatric deaths during the Delta surge.
“Every life lost is a tragedy. That we have lost 21 children in our state to COVID-19, many of them not yet eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine, is unbearable,” said State Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter. “Our young children who are not eligible to get the vaccine rely on us to protect them.
While cases are declining from our Omicron surge, the risk is not zero. Families should carefully judge their risk and risk tolerance, particularly in the Mardi Gras season. Becoming fully vaccinated and boosted if eligible, wearing a high-quality and well-fitting mask, and avoiding crowds and indoor unmasked public spaces can increase a family’s protection and lower their risk.”
