(WXYZ) — The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) released a statement Friday urging the public to get the COVID vaccine, saying daily pediatric hospital admissions have jumped by 237% since February 19.
"Every day, an average of nine children are admitted to our hospitals," the MHA said in a statement.
Currently, the MHA reports, that 42 children are hospitalized in Michigan with COVID-19.
MHA leaders went on to say that children are not immune to COVID or complications from COVID, like the multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C).
"The long-term health impacts of COVID-19 or MIS-C can be devastating. We have seen heartbreaking stories of children on ventilators, experiencing amputation and more. Even one case is too many," they said.
The MHA is making the following recommendations amid the surge of COVID cases throughout the state of Michigan:
- If you traveled for spring break, are spending time with people outside your household without masks, or are symptomatic/have been exposed to COVID-19, get tested quickly to protect your own family and others from the risk of severe illness.
- Wear a mask outside your home, especially when around large groups and when indoors with those outside your household.
- Limit your time – especially indoors – with people from outside your household.
- Continue practicing frequent, robust hand washing.
- Get vaccinated as soon as possible with whatever shot is available to you and appropriate for your age group. The vaccines are safe and effective for people 16 and older (Pfizer for 16 and up, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson for 18 and up) and can stop the chain of spread among adults and children.
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.
Visit our The Rebound Detroit, a place where we are working to help people impacted financially from the coronavirus. We have all the information on everything available to help you through this crisis and how to access it.