By: Jamie Thompson
Date: August 18, 2021
Image Credit: Tang Ming Tung/Getty
COVID-19 cases among children have surged to unprecedented levels. Since the emergence of the highly transmissible Delta variant, the virus has been affecting younger populations more severely than at any other point in the pandemic. With children under 12 still ineligible for vaccination, they are facing the brunt of new infections. In fact, over 121,000 children tested positive for COVID-19 in just one week in early August.
According to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), more than 121,000 cases were recorded in the U.S. for the week ending August 8, 2021—an increase of more than 14 times the cases reported for the week ending June 24. The AAP stated that this year’s COVID-19 wave has a more significant impact on children compared to earlier phases of the pandemic. Historically, children made up 14.4% of total COVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, but they represented 18.0% of reported weekly cases for the week ending August 12, 2021.
There are growing concerns that the situation will worsen as students return to school, especially since many institutions do not mandate universal masking. Dr. Alex Rivers, a member of the FDA’s vaccine advisory panel, remarked, “You have two tools here: vaccines and masks. For children under 12, masking is their only line of defense.”
Recently, two school districts have drawn attention due to the number of students needing to be quarantined early in the school year. Reports indicate that in the New Orleans Public School District, around 3,000 students and staff members were quarantined in just one week. Meanwhile, in Florida’s Hillsborough County, which serves 220,000 students, at least 5,599 students and 316 employees were isolated or quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure as of August 16.
The statistics surrounding COVID-19 and children are both startling and disheartening. Florida now accounts for 20% of all COVID-19 cases in the nation, with an average of 56 children hospitalized daily for the week ending August 15, 2021. While the AAP notes that severe illness from COVID-19 is relatively rare among children, they emphasize the need for more research to understand whether children who experience mild cases are at risk for “long COVID,” similar to adults.
At this stage, being vaccinated transcends personal choice; it’s a crucial step in safeguarding those children too young for the vaccine. For further insights, check out this detailed post on home insemination. If you’re looking for authoritative information on this subject, Make a Mom provides a comprehensive overview of at-home insemination kits, while Facts About Fertility serves as an excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination topics.
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In summary, the rise in COVID-19 cases among children is alarming, particularly as they return to school without vaccination options. The latest figures reveal a significant increase in infections, prompting concerns from health officials about the implications for both students and their communities.
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