At least 97,000 kids contracted coronavirus in the last two weeks of July in US
Kids return to school with masks
Even amid rising coronavirus infections, at the behest of President Donald Trump, many schools across the country have started reopening.
As soon as Trump’s plans were revealed, mixed reactions followed. Many felt it was too risky to send children back to school, while others asked for more time. On the other hand lie a few who claimed that they can’t “stay in forever” and that the country needs to reopen as soon as possible.
A whopping 97,000 kids
However, a new report does not paint a rosy picture of what’s going on across American schools. At least 97,000 kids tested positive for coronavirus in the last two weeks of July, as per data revealed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The infections were recorded in the time period between July 16-30.
According to CBS News’ numbers, out of the 5 million cases in the US, over 338,000 were children.
To ensure kids are tested, a doctor from the Vanderbilt University has kicked off a testing campaign go its kind. As part of this, Dr Tine Hartert is heading a government study which sent out do-it-yourself testing kits to more than 2,000 American families as parents prepare their kids to return to school.
School districts wary
New York City, which is the country’s largest school district is planning to resume physical schools by autumn, with Mayor Bill de Blasio having said that the officials are working “incessantly” to ensure risks are minimised.
As part of this, the NY schooling districts took into account examples from across the world. “They've looked at examples from all over the world of what will keep the school community safe, and they've made a series of choices of how to do things from the health and safety lens first, while also making sure we can educate our kids," Blasio said on Friday during a press conference.
Parents in New York City can choose whether they want their kids to attend school in person, through remote learning, or a combination of both.
In July, over 25 kids had died in the US of coronavirus. As Trump promises and pushes to “reopen more schools”, 13,000 school districts across the country are trying to come up with a safe game plan to make this happen.