Three-week-old baby with Covid is fighting for life in ICU as experts warn young at risk

A THREE-week-old baby is in intensive care battling Covid - as experts warn of the risk to the young.

It comes after reports two children under 19 were in hospital in Northern Ireland being treated for the virus.

It is not known if the baby is a boy or girl or how they caught the killer bug.

While it is much rarer for children and babies to be badly affected by the virus, they can catch it and it is possible for them to get seriously ill.

The Health Minister Robin Swann was asked about the case by

He said: "I will not speak about any individual case because that wouldn't be appropriate in my position but in regards to patients that we are supporting our health service is doing its utmost to make sure anyone who needs the support... anyone who has tested positive they do [get it].

"This virus is no discriminator against age, sex, religion nor political belief that's why our vaccine is there for people to come forward and get it."

Experts previously warned that children may experience different symptoms when it comes to Covid-19.

Scientists behind the ZOE Symptom Tracker app have said kids display symptoms such as fatigue, headache, fever, sore throat and loss of appetite.

The Delta variant has hit younger Brits harder, as they have been unprotected without the vaccine for much of this wave.

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While younger people are less likely to die or get seriously ill from Covid, then can get very sick and are more likely to develop long Covid.

Jabs are now open to anyone over 18, and specific groups of vulnerable children under-18.

However the rollout has slumped in recent weeks, with many Brits in their 20s choosing not to be vaccinated.

Experts and medics have begged them to come forward to be protected, after seeing a rise of youngsters being admitted to hospital.

Dr Samantha Batt-Rawden said: "We are seeing patients in their 30s, or even in their 20s, who are fit and have no other medical problems on ICU.

"As an ICU doctor I am begging you to have the vaccine, please don’t let not having the jab become the biggest mistake of your life."

In the UK nearly 46,000,000 have had their first vaccine, with 34,800,000 fully protected with two doses.

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After one dose the Pfizer vaccine is 36 per cent effective against symptomatic illness from the Delta variant, and the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is about 30 per cent effective against getting ill.

And after two doses, the Pfizer vaccine is 96 per cent effective against hospitalisation and the AstraZeneca jab slashes the risk by 92 per cent.

Children at increased risk of developing serious Covid will be offered the jab, the JCVI recommended last week.

This includes kids aged 12 to 15 with severe neurodisabilities, Down’s syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities.

Also now allowed to be vaccinated are 12-17 year olds who live with immunosuppressed people, and anyone three months away from their 18th birthday.

It is thought the number of children who fit into these groups are in the hundreds of thousands, and would have their first dose within weeks.

Experts made the recommendation for them to be protected, saying the health benefits of jabs in children do not outweigh the potential risks.

No child under 12 is able to be jabbed at the moment, as there is no licence in place for kids below that age, but this could change.