NEW ORLEANS - Louisiana’s largest hospital system is seeing more pediatric COVID-19 patients as the highly contagious delta variant of the virus spreads.
Ochsner Health said Wednesday the system had no pediatric COVID-19 patients several weeks ago, but the number has been ranging from five to 15 the past two weeks.
However, Dr. William Lennarz who is head of pediatrics at Ochsner Hospital for Children says that doesn’t mean the delta variant is disproportionately affecting children.
He says that "what is different is that children now make up the most susceptible population because children under 12 are 100% not vaccinated." Lennarz also says most of the hospitalized children aren’t critically ill with COVID-19.