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Kids in day care are infecting parents, siblings and teachers, says the CDC

Kids in day care are infecting parents, siblings and teachers, says the CDC

For months leading up to the new school year, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, President Trump and other leaders pushed the narrative that kids are at minimal risk of getting seriously ill and would be safe returning to normal activities. While it’s true that most kids recover from the virus, the narrative is misleading as it doesn’t account for friends, family, caregivers and other people who may get COVID-19 from infected kids.

Now, kids in day cares are catching COVID-19 and bringing it home, according to a new study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The unsettling findings could be cause for concern as children around the country return to school and child care full time.

What researchers found about kids’ COVID-19 infection and transmission

Researchers from the CDC looked at data from three COVID-19 outbreaks at child care centers in Utah from April to July. Overall, 12 children were infected at the child care centers, and most showed no symptoms; however, through detailed contact tracing, researchers were able to determine that those infected children went on to spread the virus to at least one in four people they were in close contact with outside of their child care facilities.

Transmission occurred from the children to parents, siblings and teachers. In one case, an 8-month-old baby was infected with COVID-19 at day care and spread it to both parents. In at least one instance, a parent had to be hospitalized for their symptoms.

It bears noting that the child care centers had implemented safety strategies to limit the spread of COVID-19, including temperature checks and asking staff members to wear masks. However, some staff members still came to work “while their household contacts were ill with COVID-19-compatible symptoms,” according to the report.

The findings are particularly concerning when coupled with the results of a separate report by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), which shows that more than half a million children have been infected with COVID-19 in the U.S. Kids account for around 10% of all U.S. COVID-19 cases, according to the data, and there are 729 cases per 100,000 children.

Most children experience mild infections. According to the AAP report, children account for only 0.6-3.6% of total reported hospitalizations and up to 0.3% of all COVID-19 deaths. But the rate of transmission reported by the CDC proves even kids who have minimal symptoms and make a full recovery could potentially spread the virus to more vulnerable people.

What parents and caregivers can do

To prevent COVID-19 transmission, the CDC recommends that: 

  • Staff and children over age 2 wear a mask

  • People in a child care setting quarantine and get tested if a member of their household exhibits COVID-19 symptoms. 

  • All contacts of COVID-19 patients in child care settings get tested to help limit the spread of the virus.

As we head into the fall and cold season, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says Americans should stay vigilant about following safety guidelines to prevent an increase in infections. “Don’t ever, ever underestimate the potential of the pandemic. And don’t try and look at the rosy side of things,” he said in a panel discussion with doctors from Harvard Medical School. “We need to hunker down and get through this fall and winter because it’s not going to be easy.”