COVID-19 cases among children hit a record high

We’ve hit a grim milestone in the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 211,000 COVID-19 cases in children and adolescents were reported between January 7^th and 14^th.

That means more American children were diagnosed with COVID-19 last week than in any other single week since the start of the pandemic.

Overall, over 2.5 million children have been diagnosed with COVID-19 across the country.

Pediatric COVID-19 cases surpass record for a single week: https://t.co/ICBK42map3 https://t.co/D2pIT55ST4

— AAP News (@AAPNews)
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It’s a staggering number and sadly, experts believe we still don’t have a full count of how many children have actually contracted the virus. Since kids are more likely to experience mild symptoms, it’s likely that the number of reported COVID-19 cases in children is an undercount.

Why are children contracting the virus at such an alarming rate? Experts believe the increase might reflect an increase in social gatherings related to the holidays. A new, more contagious strain of COVID-19 is also spreading throughout America, after first being found in the United Kingdom.

Right now, children make up 12.6% of all COVID-19 cases in America. Over 10,000 children have been hospitalized since March and 191 have died.

We don’t want to scare you, mama. Children have proven to be resilient when it comes to the virus.

The overall infection rate of kids is still low when compared to the rest of the population. We know that children are less likely to become severely ill, too.

How can you protect your family, especially with this new strain of the virus sweeping through the nation?

Listen to the experts, mama. Continue to practice social distancing. Wear a clean face mask for every outing. Teach your children how to properly wash their hands and keep their distance from others. If you’re eligible, consider getting vaccinated.

We can do this-together.