WFAA: Pediatric Infectious Diseases Expert Weighs in on Delta Variant of COVID-19
COVID-19 cases are on the rise in Texas, including at Cook Children's. As of July 12, eight children were hospitalized for COVID-19, up from three on July 9.
In an interview with WFAA, pediatric infectious diseases physician Nicholas Rister, M.D. said, “We are seeing more numbers, which means we're seeing more sick kids, and the expectation over the next coming weeks and months is that we'll likely see more of that.”
Dr. Rister advises parents to watch out for the typical symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough and shortness of breath, as well as gastrointestinal or abdominal symptoms, which “can be pretty prominent.”
“It's not that adults can't have that, but we do have a fair number of kids who primarily present with like, 'my stomach hurts or I have diarrhea,'” Dr. Rister explained.
North Texas medical experts continue to encourage people to get vaccinated.
“For the kids that are old enough to get the vaccine, we're highly recommending that. We're asking people to be aware that COVID still exists,” Dr. Rister said.
According to the DFW Hospital Council, there are currently 605 COVID-19 hospitalizations in the 19 county region known as TSA-E.
The highest numbers are as follows:
- TARRANT = 222
- DALLAS = 173
- COLLIN = 96
- DENTON = 25
