While it is still rare for children to get a critical case of COVID, it is happening, especially during the surge in the Delta variant. We are seeing an all too real example of that today as an 11-month-old girl from the Houston, Texas area had to be airlifted 150 miles away to Temple, Texas (watch above) due to a lack of pediatric ICU beds. Patricia Darnauer, the administrator for LBJ Hospital said, “She needed to be intubated immediately because she was having seizures… We looked at all five major pediatric hospital groups and none [had beds] available.”

The ABC affiliate in Houston explains:

The situation is sad but not surprising for Dr. Christina Propst, who is one of the most outspoken pediatricians in Houston. Ever since the pandemic began, Propst has encouraged masking, social distancing, and being cautious to anyone who would listen.

“The emergency rooms at the major children’s hospitals here in Houston, the largest medical center in the world, are extremely crowded,” said Propst. “They are filling, if not full, as are the hospitals and intensive care units.”

Watch this report from Houston station KTRK-TV.

As News & Guts reported earlier this week, COVID cases among children have jumped almost 85%.