Half A Million US Kids Diagnosed With Covid-19
Last edited Wed Sep 9, 2020, 11:07 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: CNN
By Jen Christensen, CNN 3 hrs ago.
Half a million US children have been diagnosed with Covid-19, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association. The groups said 70,630 new child cases were reported from August 20 through September 3. This is a 16% increase in child cases over two weeks, bringing up the total to at least 513,415 cases, the groups said in their weekly report on pediatric coronavirus cases.
"These numbers are a chilling reminder of why we need to take this virus seriously," American Academy of Pediatrics President Dr. Sally Goza said in a news release. "While much remains unknown about COVID-19, we do know that the spread among children reflects what is happening in the broader communities," she added.
"A disproportionate number of cases are reported in Black and Hispanic children and in places where there is high poverty. We must work harder to address societal inequities that contribute to these disparities." Children represent nearly 10% of all reported cases in the US, according to the report. The child cases are likely underreported because the tally relies on state data that is inconsistently collected.
"This rapid rise in positive cases occurred over the summer, and as the weather cools, we know people will spend more time indoors," Dr. Sean O'Leary, the vice chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases, said. "Now we are heading into flu season. We must take this seriously and implement the public health measures we know can help," O'Leary added. "That includes wearing masks, avoiding large crowds, and maintaining social distance. In addition, it will be really important for everyone to get an influenza vaccine this year. These measures will help protect everyone, including children."
The AAP recommends that any child 6 months or older get a flu shot -- in line with recommendations from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...
Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/half-a-million-us-kids-diagnosed-with-covid-19/ar-BB18PAaR
= new reply since forum marked as read
although with all that is going on, this "hot house flower" has been limiting her trips "outside" to no more than once a when possible. 
10 years ago, I ended up in the hospital for pneumonia right around the tail end of the H1N1 outbreak (had never gotten a flu shot before that) and swear that is what I had that lead up to it... although I never got a definitive yay or nay for it from the hospital. But I know whatever I had went on for weeks before I finally had to go to the ER. Ever since that, I get a flu shot every year.
