Fourteen hospitals in Michigan's Upper Peninsula published a letter to the public urging them to get vaccines for children who are unable to, according to an April 28 news release.
Manistique-based Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital CEO Bob Crumb, told Fox affiliate WLUC that hospital leaders saw many children were getting infected with COVID-19 during the third surge.
In Michigan, children have been put on ventilators and have experienced amputations, among other long-term complications, the letter said. Children who have contracted COVID-19 are at risk for severe multisystem inflammatory syndrome, even in those who are asymptomatic.
Children under the age of 16 are not able to get the COVID-19 vaccine because of federal guidelines. However, the hospitals are seeing a significant community spread in schools and youth sports.
"People think kids, maybe don't need the vaccine," Mr. Crumb said. "They don't get it that bad. There are some very severe cases for children. Maybe even death."
The letter emphasized that "making the individual choice to get vaccinated can protect the people around you — and keep our kids out of quarantine."
The letter continued: "We are just as fatigued and ready for a new normal as you are. As the health experts, we are urging fellow Yoopers to help us get there and keep everyone in the community — especially our kids — safe and healthy. Get tested, especially after travel; wear a mask in public; avoid large gatherings; limit time with those outside of your household; wash hands often and well; get vaccinated as soon as possible."
The fourteen hospitals that signed the letter are Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital in Laurium, Mich.; Aspirus Ontonagon (Mich.) Hospital; Aspirus Iron River (Mich.); Baraga County Memorial Hospital in L'Anse, Mich.; Helen Newberry (Mich.) Joy Hospital; Ironwood (Mich.) Hospitals & Clinics; Saint Ignace, Mich.-based Mackinac Straits Health System; Munising (Mich.) Memorial Hospital; OSF Healthcare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group in Escanaba, Mich.; Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital in Manistique, Mich.; War Memorial Hospital in Sault Sainte Marie, Mich.; UP Health System-Bell in Ishpeming, Mich., Marquette (Mich.), and Portage in Hancock, Mich.