More babies taken to hospital in Omicron wave
The proportion of babies being admitted to hospital has increased with the Omicron coronavirus wave, scientists have said.
Data released by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) shows most are not seriously ill – with the average length of stay being around two days – but a “very small number” of under-ones need oxygen or other help.
Experts say parents are doing the right thing and taking their children to hospital, and there is plenty of paediatric capacity in NHS hospitals.
Calum Semple, who advises the Government as part of Sage, and is professor in child health and outbreak medicine at the University of Liverpool, said: "Our study has shown that there has been an increased proportion of children being admitted in the last four weeks associated with the onset of Omicron and this has been particularly driven by children under the age of one.
"We're now seeing 42% of the children are under the age of one, whereas previously it was around about 30%.”
He added: “I really want to emphasise that these are not particularly sick infants. They're largely coming in for short periods of time for investigations."
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health commented: "We know that Omicron is much more transmissible than previous Covid-19 variants and it is to be expected that there will be more children and young people testing positive for Covid-19.
"We are also reassured to hear that very few children are needing paediatric intensive care but cannot be complacent and will monitor the situation."