The COVID-19 pandemic has been detrimental to the physical, mental, social, and economic well-being of children and their families. While evidence suggests that children are less vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 than adults, rates of infection, illness, hospitalization, and death among children have increased since the emergence of Omicron.
In the United States to date, estimates suggest over 75% of children have been infected with SARS-CoV-2, and reinfections are becoming increasingly common with the emergence of new variants and sub-variants. High incidence has translated into significant increases in hospitalizations, with rates among children of all ages four times higher during the Omicron peak compared to the Delta peak.