Fewer kids are getting vaccinated causing more hospitalizations at Children’s Hospital Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Children's Hospital in Colorado Springs saw a record number of hospitalizations this winter. Doctors said the number of kids waiting in their emergency room continues to rise.

Doctors at Children's Hospital said they're seeing an uptick of babies and toddlers under the age of three needing to visit the emergency room. While the end of flu season is near, health officials warn the risk of catching COVID-19 is still a concern for children.

"At the very beginning of the pandemic we actually saw a lot of kids missing out on their well-child checks and unfortunately we've never really caught up on that," said Jessica Cataldi, Infections Disease Physician and Pediatrician at Children's Hospital.

Cataldi said this flu season hit school-age kids and those younger than three years old especially hard. Oftentimes, kids are hospitalized due to respiratory complications. 

"We know is that unfortunately, children have not been getting covid vaccines at the rates that we would like," explained Cataldi.

Currently, data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment shows the vaccine rate for pre-school age kids in El Paso County sits at 92 percent. However; statewide numbers paint a different picture.

According to Cataldi, statewide, only around 15% of pre-school-aged kids have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine.

That low vaccination rate means infants and toddlers are now at a higher risk of complications from COVID-19 compared to teens.

"It's about as high as it is for teenagers and yet we don't see those kids getting protected with vaccines yet," said Cataldi.

Doctors at Children's Hospital in Colorado Springs say they would like the vaccine rate to be closer to 95 percent and suggest all parents think about booster shots for their kids.

Doctors also say they are seeing more viral infections, meaning kids with a cold should be treated with caution.