US children’s Covid vaccinations lag despite record infections

Nearly a million new Covid cases were confirmed in children in the week ending 13 January, a 69% increase from the week before

As the Omicron variant rips through the US, children are being infected with Covid-19 in record numbers - yet their rate of vaccination has lagged, creating a surge in hospitalizations and undermining in-person schooling.

Nearly a million new Covid cases - more than 981,000 - were confirmed in children in the week ending 13 January, a 69% increase from the week before and four times higher than last winter's peak, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. That means one in 10 Covid cases among children in the entire pandemic have happened in the past week, the organization said.