Shutterstock
Florida schools are slated to reopen in just a few weeks. However, the number of child hospitalizations and new cases of Covid-19 have surged.
As of July 16, Florida had a total of 23,170 children under the age of 17 who tested positive for coronavirus. However, by July 24, that number had already jumped to 31,150. That marks an incredible 34% increase in new cases among children in just eight days.
As a result, more children have required hospitalization in the state. As of the 16th of July, 246 children were hospitalized with the virus. On July 24, that number jumped to 303. That means in eight days, the number of child hospitalizations experienced a 23% increase.
During those same eight days, the number of children who have died from the virus went from four to five. On July 18, Kimora “Kimmie” Lynum died from complications related to coronavirus, according to state health department records. The 9-year-old had no pre-existing conditions, her family said.
Related: North Carolina 2nd Grader Dies From COVID-19
As cases rise in Florida, the debate about whether children should continue remote learning or return to the classrooms continues. According to Betsy DeVos, the US Secretary of Education, children are “stoppers of the disease” who “don’t get it and transmit it themselves.”
However, researchers in South Korea found the opposite. They say that children between the ages of 10 and 19 are able to transmit the virus just as easily as adults. The White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx has repeatedly said that it isn’t known how easily children can spread the virus.
Because so many children stayed home and away from peers during the pandemic, scientists are still studying how quickly children under the age of 10 can spread covid-19.
Another issue is that it isn’t just a matter of new cases in Florida among children. The test positivity rate has also gone up for that age group, from 13.4% to 14.4% between July 16 and 24. The rate was especially high in Martin County (25.3%) and Miami-Dade County (19.6%).
However, schools have still been ordered to reopen across the state next month. This means in some districts, students will start school again in as soon as two weeks. As a result, some educators, doctors and parents are extremely concerned.
“Kids need to develop, they need to grow, they need to learn, they need to develop social skills,” said Dr. Andrew Pastewski, the medical director of the intensive care unit at Jackson Medical Center in Miami.
“However, we’re surging right now. I would not think opening up during a surge was the right time,” he continued.
The last thing schools need right now is a line of small suvs containing potentially exposed children.
Related: Children at Risk: COVID-19 Causing Health Problems, Doctors Warn
