SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Although the number of overall COVID-19 cases is low, New Jersey officials are reporting a sharp rise in positive tests among young children.
Since June 12, case counts are up 29% among children under 4 years of age, according to state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli.
“For those 11 to 13 years of age, case rates per 100,000 have increased 36%,” she said at Gov. Phil Murphy’s weekly COVID-19 briefing. “This is troubling because those under 12 cannot be vaccinated yet.”
Related
Murphy said New Jersey’s rate of positive tests has doubled compared to a month ago, and he said the cases are almost exclusively among people who are unvaccinated.
“Even though some age groups have high vaccination coverage, younger groups are still lagging,” Persichilli added. She’s concerned that less than half — 42% — of eligible teenagers between 12 and 17 have gotten their shots. Among adults, 70% of New Jerseyans over the age of 30 have received at least one dose of vaccine.
Murphy said the vaccines have proved to be effective in keeping people out of the hospital and keeping them alive. Of the 4.4 million people who were vaccinated by June 28, he said only 3,474 tested positive for COVID-19. Among them, 84 needed hospital treatment and 31 died.
Overall, the spread of the Delta variant has caused hospitalizations to rise from 295 to 338 over the last month, Persichilli said.
Related
Despite the uptick in cases, Murphy is not considering reimposing mandatory mask rules at this moment in time.
“We watch this like a hawk. And our strong, strong, strong preference is to not go back,” he said. “I don’t want to go back. But if we think that’s the right public health thing to do, then that’s what the experts will suggest.”