Childhood deaths from COVID double in Florida as cases among children increase across country

• Infant mortality from COVID rose 140% from late July to early September, Politico first reported.

• COVID cases are down from early summer, but children account for about a quarter of new weekly cases.

• Health experts are worried about COVID cases of children and deaths rising in the fall as schools resume classes.

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Florida’s response to COVID-19 took a hit this week as the number of COVID-related child deaths in Florida more than doubled in just over a month, according to data from the Florida Department of Health .

A weekly report from the Florida Department of Health showed that seven children under the age of 16 died of complications from coronavirus from the start of the pandemic to July 30 – a period of 15 months. According to the department’s latest report from September 3, the number has risen to 17 deaths since July 30.

Although the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said most of these deaths were linked to underlying health conditions, the surge has pediatric experts worried and uncertain about the COVID variant. Delta in the coming months.

“We’re all worried because we don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” AAP Florida president Lisa Gwynn said, according to Politico.

The AAP did not immediately respond to Insider’s request to comment further on the increase in child mortality or morbidity rates per post.

As of September 8, the CDC reported a national total of 486 deaths among children aged 0 to 18.

“Children are not supposed to die,” said Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during a tense hearing in the United States Senate in July over a damning statistic on the deaths of children due to COVID.

Meanwhile, cases of COVID in children across the United States are on the rise as students return to school. In August, days after the start of a new school year, thousands of students across the country were forced into quarantine after schools reopened and the number of cases among children jumped. Several schools in the state have already announced closures in response to the increase in numbers. Pediatric hospitalizations also hit an all-time high last month, with 1,900 children hospitalized for COVID.

The story continues

As of September 2, those 12 and older are eligible to receive the vaccine, but immunization coverage in children ages 12 to 17 is lower than in older groups, the CDC said.

“After declining in early summer, children’s cases have increased exponentially, with more than 750,000 cases added between August 5 and September 2,” AAP said in a report, which represents a quarter of new weekly COVID cases.

It comes as GOP governors like Ron Desantis of Florida continue to fight individual school districts for mask mandates in schools. A judge ruled in August that Desantis could not ban masks, which was confirmed by a court ruling on Wednesday, allowing school districts to continue to impose a mask warrant. However, the ruling was overturned when an appeals court ruled in favor of the governor’s ban on Friday. The US Department of Education has launched a civil rights investigation into the mask ban in six states, including Florida.

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