More kids in the hospital with COVID renew fears for medically fragile children
LOS ANGELES — Whenever someone tells Jamie Chong that COVID-19 isn't a serious threat to children, she reminds them that the common cold can send her child to the hospital.
Her son, Asher, who is nearing his third birthday, has cerebral palsy and issues with his respiratory and gastrointestinal systems, putting him at higher risk from the coronavirus.
Chong has been caring for him in their Simi Valley home during the pandemic and strictly limiting who can enter. Sometimes, when cases have surged, she has even decided to turn away his home nurses.
"It's scarier than it was even in the beginning," Chong said. "When things were really bad before, kids weren't going to school. People were working from home. Now they're saying it's way more contagious — and everything is open."
There's the notion that "'If you're vulnerable, then you need to stay home.' Well, we are doing that. But how much longer can we?" Chong asked. "My son deserves to live a life outside of his home."
Young children — those younger than 5 — are being newly hospitalized with COVID-19
