(HealthDay)—U.S. infants and children aged 0 to 4 years were hospitalized at a much higher rate during Omicron variant predominance than during delta variant predominance, according to research published in the March 15 early-release issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Kristin J. Marks, Ph.D., from the CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response Team, and colleagues describe COVID-19-associated hospitalizations among U.S. infants and children aged 0 to 4 years since March 2020 using data from the Coronavirus Disease 19-Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network.

The researchers found that the weekly COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates per 100,000 children aged 0 to 4 years peaked at 14.5 during the period of Omicron predominance (Dec. 19, 2021, to Feb. 19, 2022; peak at week ending Jan. 8, 2022). This Omicron predominant period peak was about five times that seen during the delta predominant period (June 27 to Dec. 18, 2021; peak at week ending Sept. 11, 2021). Sixty-three percent of the hospitalized infants and children had no underlying medical conditions during the period of Omicron predominance; 44 percent of hospitalizations were accounted for by infants aged <6 months, although indicators of severity did not differ by age.

“Future studies are needed to understand the possible long-term consequences of COVID-19 infection among infants,” the authors write. “Although infants aged <6 months are not currently eligible for vaccination, evidence suggests that this age group can receive protection through passive transplacental transfer of maternal antibodies acquired through vaccination."

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