Child Covid Cases Rapidly Fall

COVID-19 cases have been falling dramatically across the U.S. as spring approaches, with optimism surrounding the end of virus restrictions at an all-time high alongside encouraging vaccine news. The relatively quick rollout of several different vaccines has prompted some people to call for reopening measures despite health experts urging caution amid the potential for new outbreaks.

Still, the current numbers certainly look good, especially for school officials as they look to bring kids back to in-person learning in a safe, effective way. New data over the last month shows a similar downward trend of COVID-19 cases in children, which could lead to further school reopenings this spring.

Data on daily new cases of COVID-19 in children in the U.S. shows a significant decline, with just 63,000 new cases in the country as of March 4 – down from a high of over 200,000 in January. That’s a substantial drop-off that matches the current trends across most demographics in the U.S.

The current decline in child coronavirus cases lends support to those with plans to quickly restart in-person learning for both students and teachers. While online video classes were a widely used solution during the height of the pandemic, many teachers, students and parents felt the learning experience was subpar.

While data over the past year shows children were some of the highest spreaders of COVID-19, the risk for in-person learning has mostly been with older teachers and school staff more at-risk for serious cases of the virus. A decline in student cases would certainly mitigate that risk, however there’s no question teachers and staff would still be at risk of contracting COVID-19 if schools reopen before they’re vaccinated. Thankfully, many school districts across the country have prioritized vaccines for teachers while reopening plans commence.