Pediatric Emergency Visits & Hospitalizations Decreased Sharply During COVID-19

Amid the time of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), children’s hospitals across the U.S. have seen approximately 42% fewer children were being seen and hospitalized at 44 children’s hospital across the U.S. for both respiratory and non-respiratory illnesses. Specifically, there was a 62% reduction for children with respiratory illnesses, and a 38% reduction for children with non-respiratory illnesses. The most significant reduction was seen in children under age 12.

Specifically, asthma-related hospital encounters decreased by about 76%. Pneumonia-related hospital encounters decreased about 81%; encounters for croup decreased by 84%; encounters for influenza . . .