Five-year-old Georgia boy with no underlying health issues dies of Covid
A five-year-old boy from Georgia has died after being infected with Covid-19, according to reports.
Wyatt Gibson, who did not suffer from any underlying health conditions, died at a hospital in nearby Chattanooga in Tennessee, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
His godmother, Amanda Summey, shared a statement written by his grandmother, Andrea Mitchell, with the paper on 20 July.
“He’d barely had more than the sniffle or two as prior illnesses go. Then the white tongue. Alarmed, he was hustled off to the local hospital. Then the next day to TC Thompson Children’s Hospital in Chattanooga.”
It stated that he died after “a massive stroke struck the soul of his brain”.
Ms Summey also told the paper that both the boy’s sister and father have also tested positive for the virus.
Wes Gibson, the little boy’s father, posted a message about the tragedy on his personal Facebook page.
“He was full of love, and brightened everyone’s world. Wyatt would wave to strangers in the grocery store, because he knew that it absolutely made their day.” he said in tribute. “In a way, I know you’re still here, but I miss you so damn much.”
Mr Gibson has worked for 13 years at the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, and his boss gave his condolences
“Every heart is broken within our department with the tragic loss of this precious child,” Sherriff Scott Chitwood told the Atlanta newspaper.
“I still feel you holding my hand. I know you’re here with us,” his mother Andrea Gibson wrote on a Facebook post.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Covid is believed to present a significantly lower risk to children than to adults. Out of the more than 609,000 deaths in the US due to the virus, 335 of those who lost their lives were below the age of 18.
The boy’s death comes as cases of Covid are increasing across the country. The rise is believed to be attributed to the Delta variant and the current low rate of vaccinations in certain areas. Vaccinations are not available for those under 12 years old.
Experts have said that the best way to protect children is to ensure that adults get inoculated against the virus.
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