Most Americans (and 75% of children) are infected with COVID, the CDC says.

According to the report, the majority of Americans are infected with COVID-19. Federal researcher..

By February, 60% of the country’s population had an infectious disease at some point during the two-year pandemic, according to one study.

The proportion of children is higher than ever, with nearly 75% infected.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ReportIt reveals the true scale of the wave of Omicron fuel that raged across the country in the winter, released on Tuesday.

At the beginning of December, only 30 percent of Americans were infected with the virus. By the end of the Omicron wave, the number had doubled to nearly 60%.

The infection rate in children was even higher. COVID-19 infections surged from 45% in December to about 75%.

Disproportionate infection rates among children may be related to two things, health experts said: school-mandated end of masking and lack of vaccination of children.

“Without good mitigation measures, (schools) tend to be a place to receive a lot of communication,” said Michael Teng, a virologist at the University of South Florida.

Discussion of masking at a school in Florida Last came In December 2021, when eight imminent school districts permanently abolished the mask requirement. Without a social distance from the mask, school-aged children had little protection against the virus, Ten said.

Children aged 5 to 17 years in the United States were also the last children to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but they still show the lowest vaccination rates in the state months later. Children under the age of 4 are not yet eligible.

Allison Missina, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, said:

She has the highest and lowest vaccination rates in children over the age of 65, while children under the age of 17 have the highest and lowest vaccination rates in the United States. Said that there is.

The CDC study followed coronavirus antibodies from blood donations of more than 200,000 US residents of all ages from September 2021 to February 2022. Antibodies do not reveal whether an individual is currently infected and contagious, but at some point indicates that they have been infected in the past.

Two months after the study was completed, the number of infected Americans probably increased.

Why are children so infectious?

The results of the study were obtained by the federal health authorities. Set to review Effectiveness of booster shorts for healthy children aged 5-11 years.

Pfizer submitted clinical data to the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday, and low-dose booster shots are safe for children aged 5 to 11 years and may help prevent serious illness as immunity from the original vaccination declines. Showed that there is sex.

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Booster shots are currently only approved for people over the age of 12, but Missina focused on another vaccination issue.

“What disappointed me wasn’t that the children weren’t immune,” she said. “It means that children haven’t even received their major set of vaccines.”

Last month, General Joseph Ladapo of the Florida Public Health Service Recommended for Vaccine healthy children with the coronavirus vaccine.The recommendations faced immediate backlash from health professionals, including those quoted in Ladapo’s written guidance given by the Surgeon General. Their research is “cherry pick” To protect his position.

According to state data, 23% of children aged 5 to 11 years in Florida are vaccinated.

Good signs as the infection will increase again

The data also reveal that the United States is better protected from future variants than was once thought.

60% of infected Americans are more likely to avoid another infection, Teng said. This is especially true for those who have “hybrid” immunity through infection and vaccination.

Immunity kicks are important now that cases of COVID-19 have begun to recover due to the BA.2.12.1 variant. Infectious diseases have almost doubled in the last two weeks, reaching an average of 3,500 per day for seven days.

Hospitalization is progressing very slowly as the number of cases increases — this is a good sign for Teng.

“It simply suggests that it doesn’t cause so many illnesses,” he said. “I paid for it with Omicron waves, so I hope my immunity has improved.”

However, just because hospitalization has not surged does not mean that it will not surge in the future. The hospitalization rate for Omicron waves was also low, but a huge number of cases overwhelmed the hospital.

“It may not have as big a peak as it did last time, but every time the virus mutates, I get tired of it,” Misina said. “I don’t know what’s coming next.”

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How to take the test

Tampa Bay: Times can help you find Free public COVID-19 test site In the bay area.

Florida: To the Ministry of Health Website List test sites in the state. Some information may be out of date.

America: To the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Website It can help you find a test site.

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How to get vaccinated

COVID-19 vaccines over 5 years old and booster shots of eligible recipients are given in clinics, clinics, pharmacies, grocery stores and public vaccination sites. In many cases, you can book your booking online. Here’s how to find a site near you.

Find a site: visit Vaccine.gov Search for vaccination sites by zip code.

Other help: Call the National COVID-19 VaccinationAssistanceHotline.

phone: 800-232-0233. Help is available in English, Spanish, and other languages.

TTY: 888-720-7489

Disability information and access lines: Call 888-677-1199 or send us an email [email protected]..

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Omicron variant: Omicron has changed what we know about COVID. This is the latest How infectious COVID-19 mutants affect masks, vaccines, boosters and quarantine.

Children and vaccines: Do you have questions about vaccination of your child? Here are some answers.

Booster Shot: Are you confused about which COVID booster to get? This guide is useful..

Booster Question: Are there any side effects? Why do you need it? Here is the answer to your question..

Senior protection: Here’s how older people can do it: Ensuring safety from viruses..

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