With the proliferation of variants in the delta and new data showing that young people are more likely to spread the virus than previously thought, many parents with infants and toddlers now have questions about how best to protect their children.
Children under the age of two cannot safely wear masks or opt for the COVID-19 vaccine. They can't decide for themselves where they go, who surrounds them, or what's in their environment — it's up to their parents or caregivers to decide for them.
Scientists are still learning more about the risks of the new coronavirus and its spread among children under two years of age. The good news is that even if they do have COVID-19, they seem less likely to get seriously ill compared to adults. There are a few concrete steps parents can take to create a safe environment for young children.
1. Vaccinations
The three vaccines, Pfizer, Hyundai and Johnson & Johnson, are authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for use in any 18-year-old. Pfizer is authorized for use by anyone over the age of 12. All three have proven to be safe and effective. Even if the new Delta variant becomes the dominant variant in the United States, these vaccines can still fight it.
Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and professor of pediatrics in the Department of Infectious Diseases, said children hospitalized for the coronavirus often live in families where their parents are not vaccinated.
Offit told ABC News that it's always tragic when children are infected with the coronavirus. This year, these stories are even more tragic because they are preventable.
2. Make sure everyone around your child is vaccinated
Young children are not yet vaccinated, but if everyone around them is vaccinated, this can protect them from the virus. Limiting the number of unvaccinated people you encounter can help create a safer environment for you and your family, and then provide some protection for your unvaccinated children.
This can be a very difficult thing to do, especially if you live in a community that is largely unvaccinated, but it's worth weighing the risks that COVID-19 may pose to your child. It's also the boost some people need to get vaccinated.
3. If you are pregnant or nursing, get vaccinated
After a study showed that getting covid-19 vaccines during pregnancy is safe for parents and children, vaccinations are now recommended for pregnant women. At the same time, new research suggests that mothers may be able to pass on antibodies to your baby.
Antibodies are part of our immune system and help recognize and fight infections. When a woman is pregnant, some antibodies can pass through the placenta and are found in the baby's blood a few months after birth. Antibodies can also be transmitted through breast milk.
This protection of antibodies against infants is called "passive immunity." Your baby's immune system won't be able to produce its own antibodies from the placenta or breast milk, but experts say every point is important, and some protection may be better than nothing.
4. Practice social distancing and masking in public
When you're in public with your little one, it's probably impossible to know if the people around you are vaccinated. Try to maintain a safe distance from others and wear a mask, especially in indoor areas where there may be many unvaccinated people.
If your baby is on a carrier, you can cover the carrier with a blanket, but make sure you can only do this if you see the carrier, the blanket should not touch the baby. If you can, if you need a night or a day, find a trusted, vaccinated nanny so you don't have to bring a more vulnerable baby, especially for activities that are more at risk of exposure to COVID-19, such as indoor meals.
5. Everyone should wash their hands
Every time someone comes to your home from outside, make sure the first thing they touch is soap and water to wash their hands, especially before touching your child. In fact, pediatricians recommend this all year round, regardless of whether there is an outbreak or not, in any home with a child under the age of two. This is a simple way to prevent the spread of many infectious diseases that can affect difficult diseases in young children.