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Covid-19 live updates CDC encourages parents to vaccinate teens

Benjamin Choe, 13, holds a certificate after receiving a dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine at on May 13 in Seattle. (David Ryder/Getty Images)
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June 5, 2021 at 1:07 a.m. EDT
correction

A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that a study showed nearly one-third of all adolescents affected by the coronavirus in March and April required admission to an intensive care unit. In fact, the study showed that nearly one-third of hospitalized adolescents required admission. This version has been corrected.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky strongly encouraged parents and guardians to vaccinate their teenagers against the coronavirus.

The plea comes after a recent study showed that among hospitalized adolescents affected by the virus in March and April, nearly one-third required admission to an intensive care unit, while 5 percent required invasive mechanical ventilation.

“I am deeply concerned by the numbers of hospitalized adolescents and saddened to see the numbers of adolescents who required treatment in intensive care units or mechanical ventilation,” she said in a statement Friday. “Much of this suffering can be prevented.”

Most coronavirus-related hospitalizations happen among older adults, even though severe illness can cause hospitalizations among all age groups. However, researchers have noted that changes to coronavirus mitigation measures and more serious variants could be behind the surge in youth hospitalizations, despite a drop in adolescent hospitalizations in January and February.  

Here are some significant developments:

  • The Biden administration on Thursday announced a plan to share 25 million coronavirus vaccine doses globally in what officials described as a down payment on tens of millions more doses to come.
  • Taiwan’s sluggish vaccine rollout is set for a significant bump in the coming weeks, with more than 1 million shots slated to arrive from the United States and Japan. The island is in the grip of a new outbreak after effectively eliminating the virus at the turn of the year.
  • More than 50 percent of adults in the United Kingdom had been fully vaccinated as of Thursday, said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
  • The United States reported a seven-day rolling average of 15,886 new infections on Thursday. Hospitalizations and deaths continued to fall.
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Here's what to know:

The Biden administration on Thursday announced a plan to share 25 million coronavirus vaccine doses globally in what officials described as a down payment on tens of millions more doses to come.
Taiwan’s sluggish vaccine rollout is set for a significant bump in the coming weeks, with more than 1 million shots slated to arrive from the United States and Japan. The island is in the grip of a new outbreak after effectively eliminating the virus at the turn of the year.
More than 50 percent of adults in the United Kingdom had been fully vaccinated as of Thursday, said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The United States reported a seven-day rolling average of 15,886 new infections on Thursday. Hospitalizations and deaths continued to fall.

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