Read on Twitter
A new CDC weekly COVID survey and a whopping 14.5% of school-aged children tested positive, a much higher rate than other age groups. School-aged children (5-17) have now had the highest positive test rate for 31 straight weeks. https://twitter.com/informema/status/1333774971630448646
Data here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/12042020/specimens-tested.html
Anecdotally, a lot of the reports of random testing in schools seem to come from the east and west coasts. But the regional differentiation of school-aged COVID-positive test rates is stunning:
CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT:
8.3%
NJ, NY, PR:
9%
DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV:
12.6%
AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN:
13.1%
IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI:
19.4% (!)
AR, LA, NM, OK, TX:
18.1%
IA, KS, MO, NE:
23.1% (!)
CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY:
19.2% (!)
AZ, CA, GU, HI, NV:
14.4%
AK, ID, OR, WA:
12.2%
8.3%
NJ, NY, PR:
9%
DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV:
12.6%
AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN:
13.1%
IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI:
19.4% (!)
AR, LA, NM, OK, TX:
18.1%
IA, KS, MO, NE:
23.1% (!)
CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY:
19.2% (!)
AZ, CA, GU, HI, NV:
14.4%
AK, ID, OR, WA:
12.2%
Altogether, over 440,000 school-aged kids have tested positive in the CDC survey. The true number of infections is likely at least 4 million 5-to-17-year-olds, given the lack of tests administered to that age group and their lack of major symptoms.
The vast majority will probably* suffer no serious effects, but I think we have underrated the part this age group plays in transmission.
*We have no data on long-term effects of COVID on children.
*We have no data on long-term effects of COVID on children.
Anecdotally, much of the reassuring data on school transmission comes from communities with low levels of infection where the virus is taken seriously. Looking at the high positive test rates in other regions should give pause to the notion that schools are everywhere safe.
