Halloween weekend was full of movies including the 1993 film Hocus Pocus. The movie was released by Walt Disney Pictures on July 16, 1993 and did not recoup the expense to make the movie.  However, it has become a Halloween classic about three witches played by actors Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy who are brought back to present day from Salem, Massachusetts. The movie has developed a following around Halloween and can be seen on several channels including Disney+. Currently, there is a sequel being produced that is to be released in 2022 for those who are fans of the movie. The title of the film had me thinking about the meaning of hocus pocus. The dictionary defines it as meaningless talk often designed to draw attention away from and disguise what is actually happening. Synonyms include deception and trickery. Hocus pocus applies to the deception around the current pandemic and the difficulty in spreading the science because trickery is drawing attention away from the evidence.  

The news media has been reporting that overall case numbers in Ohio are on the decline and this is true. However, the rural counties are still seeing an increase in cases and deaths from COVID-19. The surrounding counties of Hardin, Hancock, Allen, Marion, Auglaize, Logan, Union, and Wood are still increasing in cases. As with the first few waves of the pandemic, many of the rural counties saw increases after the more highly populated counties. The Ohio Coronavirus Dashboard has reported 24,527 deaths in Ohio. When you think about this number, it could represent the entire population of one of Ohio’s rural counties. The smaller numbers by county tricks us into not realizing the enormity of this pandemic. 

The number of cases reported to the CDC while decreasing in adults has increased by 4% in children.  As of October 21, 2021, 6.3 million children have been infected with COVID-19, with 1 million of those reported over the past six weeks. The CDC reports that 25.1% of the cases of COVID-19 are in children. The overall decline in cases in recent weeks has disguised the increase in cases in children and has taken our focus away from them. As experts have pointed out, we do not have good data right now on the long-term consequences of a COVID-19 infection in children. A rare but dangerous complication of COVID-19 in children is called Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS).  MIS results in inflammation of the heart, lung, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, and the gastrointestinal tract. Children need immediate care if MIS develops after an acute COVID-19 infection. Children are also susceptible to developing long-COVID or post COVID syndrome. Physicians who care for pediatric patients are noting long-lasting fatigue (tiredness), lung problems (including new onset asthma), joint pain, and brain fog.  Researchers have found changes in the brain after COVID-19 that show damage to the brain cells both in children and adults. A study from Italy reported that 40% of children had reports of long-COVID after an infection, while a study from the United Kingdom found 20% of children had symptoms of post-COVID syndrome. Pediatricians have noted that some children experience behavioral changes, difficulty concentrating in school, a decrease in athletic performance, lower grades in school, exhaustion, and difficulty in breathing especially with activity months after a COVID-19 infection.  

A common deception is that a previous COVID-19 infection prevents you from getting COVID-19 again. This is frequently repeated hocus pocus.  A COVID-19 infection does not provide sufficient immunity from getting another COVID-19 infection. On October 29, 2021, the CDC released a study looking at the protection of a laboratory-confirmed previous COVID-19 infection versus those patients fully vaccinated with a mRNA vaccine. The study found that unvaccinated adult patients with a laboratory-confirmed previous COVID-19 infection were 5.49 times more likely to be hospitalized with a serious COVID-19 infection than those adults who had been fully vaccinated. The conclusion of the study was that a previous COVID-19 infection does not prevent serious complications or hospitalizations from another COVID-19 infection.  

Why bring up this hocus pocus now? Children are susceptible to the same risks of COVID-19 and its complications. Previous infections from COVID-19 do not offer adequate protection. The FDA gave emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine in children 5 to 11 years of age on October 29, 2021. The dose is lower for children and requires two doses given 21 days apart. Pfizer submitted a study looking at the vaccine in 3,100 children and demonstrated a 91% effectiveness in preventing a COVID-19 infection. The word prevention here is important versus just protecting from serious complications or hospitalization. The study reported no serious adverse effects from the vaccine in children.  

Avoid the hocus pocus and talk to your health professional about the COVID-19 science. Feel free to call the ONU HealthWise Pharmacy. ONU HealthWise is offering walk-ins for COVID-19 and flu vaccines. Please call the pharmacy to get more information on getting vaccinated.

ONU HealthWise Pharmacy
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