CHA Launches National Awareness Campaign on Pediatric Capacity

We have launched a national campaign highlighting the 'perfect storm' of the impact of the COVID variant, rising cases of RSV, ongoing mental health demand and staffing challenges that children's hospitals are facing now. The campaign kicks off with national ads and D.C.-based promotions drawing attention to a letter to President Biden on the urgent need to support pediatric capacity. Below are helpful resources to learn more about the campaign and get engaged.

• Letter to President Biden
• USA Today (opinion): "Children's hospitals are at breaking point with COVID. Here's how we can save our kids."
• The Hill: "Children's Hospitals Ask Biden Administration, Policymakers for Help with Capacity Crisis"
• Press release: "National Advocates Urge the White House, Congress, American People to Support Children's Hospitals as 'Perfect Storm' Hits"

Member resources

Download these social media posts for your digital channels and/or use these editorial samples to amplify the message in your local publications.

• Sample op-ed: "We Must All Do Our Part"
• Sample op-ed: "'Perfect Storm' Impacts Pediatric Capacity"
• Mental health social media

Data

• The facts about COVID-19 and children

Respiratory syncytial virus data

• Initially the COVID-19 pandemic led to a steep decline in respiratory visits in 2020 due to social distancing and mask requirements, but loosened mask and public gathering restrictions in 2021 led to an unpredictable offseason surge of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) with fewer staff members on hand to help care for an influx of patients. Source: CHA PHIS Data
  • Typical RSV season runs Nov. through Feb., peaking in Dec. and Jan.
  • The southern region peaks about a month before other regions and is a leading indicator for the effect of RSV nationwide.
  • In July, some hospitals in the south saw 50% greater volumes than 2019 in respiratory therapy departments.
  • June and July's average ED visits for RSV are greater than 2019 volumes, with some hospitals experiencing greater than 25% higher volumes.

Advocacy

Join our digital activation through Speak Now for Kids by submitting a letter to members of Congress and the Biden administration urging to support children's hospitals in the fight against COVID-19.

In the News

Below is a list of curated (top) op-eds and articles:

• WFLA – "Florida child hospitalizations at 68 per day with children's hospitals 'under an unprecedented strain'"
• NPR – "Children's Hospitals Are Pleading For Federal Help As They Run Out Of Beds"
• NPR – "As Schools Reopen, Child Psychiatrists Expect To See A Surge Of Kids Who Need Help"
• Boston Globe (opinion) – "We owe it to our kids to get them vaccinated"
• STAT (opinion) – "As Delta spreads, it's time to put children's health first"
• CNN (opinion) – "My son was lucky to get a pediatric ICU bed when he needed one. He shouldn't have needed luck"
• The Hill – "Children's hospitals plead Biden for 'immediate help' in 'capacity crisis'"
• Medscape – "US Pediatric Hospitals in Peril as Delta Hits Children"
• Washington Examiner – "COVID-19 and RSV form wicked one-two punch, bringing children's hospitals to the brink"
• The Hill – "Children's hospitals fill up as delta, virus cases soar"
• CNN – "Some children's hospitals in Covid-19 hotspots are especially busy"
• POLITICO – "Children's hospitals are swamped with Covid patients — and it may only get worse"
• NPR – "Nearly 94,000 Kids Got COVID-19 Last Week. They Were 15% Of All New Cases"
• Health Day – "Is the Delta Variant Hitting Kids Harder?"