The CDC has issued an alert to clinicians warning of rising cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children following COVID-19 infections.
Cases of MIS-C spiked during the pandemic, but saw a steep decline thereafter, which experts believe was likely due to vaccination boosting immunity and possibly newer variants causing less severe infections.
But cases are increasing again. The CDC's Dec. 14 alert emphasizes that low vaccination rates could be one cause and encourages physicians to administer influenza, COVID-19, and RSV immunizations now to patients who are eligible to receive the shots.
Since September, the CDC notes it has "received 30 reports of MIS-C, a rare complication that typically occurs 1 month after SARS-CoV-2 infection, with illness onset among cases occurring from August 6 to November 9, 2023, a relative increase compared with previous months."
Vaccination rates for the latest COVID-19 shot remains low across the U.S. at 17.2% in adults and 7.7% in children 6 months to 17 years old.