FLORIDA, USA — As schools are preparing to reopen in just a few short weeks, COVID-19 hospitalizations of Florida children jumped 23% from July 17 to July 24.
In the eight-day period, there was also a 34% increase in new cases among children in the state, according to an analysis report of the Florida Department of Health data.
During that same time, came the death of Kimora Lynum, a 9-year-old girl from Putnam County who is the youngest person to die from COVID-19 in the state. The family spokesperson said she had no preexisting conditions, but that doesn’t mean her death came as a surprise to medical experts.
“I think this goes to show that anybody of any age can contract COVID-19 if they’re in contact with someone who’s infected," UF Health Chair of Pediatrics Dr. Mark Hudak said.
Although it's rare for children to get severely ill from coronavirus, Hudak explained that doesn’t mean they are less likely to contract it.
Over the past month, Hudak said data shows the number of high school-aged students testing positive for COVID-19 in Duval County has been about the same as adults aged 60 to 64.
Still, he doesn’t believe all virtual schools will necessarily keep children from contracting COVID-19 or be the right thing for their overall development.
“In reality, the best thing to do lies somewhere in the middle," he explained. "It’s going to be very dependent in the family unit and upon the resources that the school is able to put in place to ensure safety.“
If your children are going back to the classroom, Hudak said you should educate them on why people wear masks and remind them to keep 6 feet of social distance from their friends at school.