THE number of children and young people admitted to hospital with Covid has climbed to a new record high, the latest figures from Public Health Scotland reveal.
A total of 48 people aged 19 or under were being treated in hospital with the disease at the end of last week – an increase of six since the previous week, which was the highest number of patients in this age group since the start of the pandemic.
The PHS data for week ending July 9 also confirmed a rising trend among the under-40s being taken into acute care after testing positive for the infection.
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They showed that 61 people aged 20 to 29, and 74 people aged from 30 to 39, were in hospital after falling sick with the virus.
Of the 475 total number of hospital admissions last week for patients who had tested positive, some 61 were over 80, 65 between 70 and 79, and 59 between 60 and 69.
The report said: “There has been a general fall in admissions amongst the older age groups (aged 60 years plus) since the onset of the vaccination programme. The highest number of new admissions are now in the 30 to 39 and 70 to 79 year age groups.”
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It also found that in the last four weeks, 52% of Covid-19-related acute hospital admissions were in unvaccinated individuals, of which 71% were in under-40s. And it revealed that some 41 people who had received two doses of the vaccine had died.
The report added: “As of July 7, 41 individuals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR more than 14 days after receiving their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine and subsequently died with Covid-19 recorded as a primary or contributing cause of death. This equates to 0.001% of those who have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccines.”
The Pfizer jab has been approved by the UK’s medicines regulator for 12 to 17 year olds, but the Scottish Government is waiting for advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) before deciding whether to give it to children and young people in this age group.
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Several leading scientists believe the UK and Scotland should vaccinate 12 to 17 year olds in line with many other countries to protect them from falling ill with the virus, from suffering from long Covid and also to prevent passing the disease to other people.
There is also concern that if the virus is allowed to spread among children and young people mutations could emerge which may be more resistant to vaccines.
Meanwhile, the latest data from the National Records of Scotland (NRS), recorded 30 coronavirus-related deaths in the past week.
Figures from NRS shows the number of fatalities registered between July 5 and 11 was up nine from the previous week, when 21 deaths were recorded. It means that as of Sunday, 10,220 deaths have now been registered in Scotland with Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate.
Pete Whitehouse, NRS director of statistical services, said: “Five of the Covid-related deaths last week were aged under 65, four were aged 65-74 and there were 21 deaths among people aged 75 or over. Nine were female and 21 were male.
Yesterday’s daily statistics showed 2636 new cases were recorded in the previous 24 hours, meaning 321,202 people in total had tested positive for Covid-19.
There were 11 new deaths, meaning the toll under this daily measure – of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days – stood at 7772.
A total of 515 people were in hospital on Tuesday with recently confirmed Covid-19, up nine, with 46 patients in intensive care, up five.
The latest statistics came after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced Scotland will go ahead with plans to further ease Covid restrictions.
Level 0 measures mean that from Monday, up to eight people from up to four households can meet within homes, while outside up to 15 people from 15 households can get together.
Up to 200 people will be able to attend weddings and funerals, but under new changes hospitality venues will have to shut at midnight.
Speaking to Holyrood after the Scottish Parliament was recalled for a virtual sitting on Tuesday, the First Minister issued a plea to the young on Tuesday to get vaccinated as turnout at vaccination centres hit a near-record low.
She said: “I again appeal to everyone due to receive a first or second dose to get it as quickly as possible. It is the single most important thing that any of us can do to protect ourselves and each other and get all of us back to normal.”
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