Group calls for release of Covid statistics relating to children

Age-related data for cases and hospitalisations in Ireland has not been published by the HSE since December 22 despite the surge in cases due to the Omicron variant of Covid-19. File picture: PA

A group advocating on behalf of parents and school workers has called for the release of Covid statistics relating to children, which have not been published for nearly four weeks.

Age-related data for cases and hospitalisations have not been published by the HSE since December 22, despite the surge in cases after the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

The issue is one of the main concerns expressed in a letter by the group, Parents and School Staff Ireland, to the Irish Patients Association, citing a “significant and worrying lack of transparency” in recent weeks.

Along with the issue of non-publication of age- related data, the letter calls for clarity regarding the numbers of children in paediatric wards in regional hospitals, and suggests that, should elective surgeries be reinstated, “there will be no capacity in paediatric ICUs”.

In January, there have been an average of four paediatric intensive care unit (ICU) beds available in the three Dublin paediatric hospitals.

While daily figures for paediatric bed occupation are produced by the HSE, they only cover the Dublin hospitals under the aegis of Children’s Health Ireland.

In a statement, the HSE said age-related deaths data is still available.

However, that data does not distinguish age groups younger than 25.

It said that HPSC case and hospitalisations data since December 22 cannot be provided due to “current case volumes and the emergence of the Omicron variant”.

No response was given regarding the level of paediatric inpatients in regional hospitals.

Covid infections in children

Last week, National Immunisation Advisory Council vaccine advisory group chairwoman Karina Butler referred to an increase of Covid infections in children, saying: “We know that the numbers of infections in our children have escalated much more, such that the test positivity last week was 50% in children in that age group.”

She also raised the issue of the condition PIMS/MIS-C, an inflammatory illness that can occur, mostly in those of schoolgoing age, in children in the wake of their recovery from Covid-19.

Just under 40,000 children aged up to 18 years were infected with Covid-19 within the past three weeks, with an overall total of at least 195,000 children having contracted the virus since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

The letter from Parents and Staff School Ireland states as one of its concerns the possibility that “children who have had Covid-19 and who subsequently present in hospital with PIMS/ MIS-C are not being included/ reported in data on child Covid-19 hospitalisations.”

The group wants the Irish Patients’ Association to raise the issue.

“We are now imploring the Irish Patients’ Association to help us seek clarity on several critical issues,” the letter states.

“The serious omissions, flaws, and inconsistencies in the data and reports must be resolved immediately.”