In Florida, more and more children are becoming infected with the coronavirus. However, Governor Ron DeSantis has banned the use of masks in schools – and is very troubling for parents.
Thousands of children in Florida caught the coronavirus over the summer vacation. The Republican governor of the US state, Ron DeSantis, still believes that masks are superfluous in class. And he goes even further: if schools insist on mouth and nose protection, he wants to cut them off.
The wearing of masks in schools sparked a violent political argument in Florida shortly before the end of the vacation: “Parents have to choose between the health, the life of their children and going back to school,” describe the fathers and mothers of disabled children in one of the last Friday filed a complaint to the governor about the dilemma.
Significantly more corona-infected children in the hospital
At the end of July, according to the Association of US Pediatricians, 72,000 children and adolescents in the USA were infected with the coronavirus within a week – five times as many as a month earlier. According to official figures, Florida accounts for 20,000 cases. In no other state are so many children in the hospital for Covid-19, last week more than 140 were treated in clinics.
“In the past two or three weeks we have definitely seen an increase in cases here in the emergency room and in other departments of the hospital,” says doctor Marcos Mestre, medical director of the Nicklaus Children’s Clinic in Miami. Only about one percent of children diagnosed with infection need to be hospitalized, he says. In overweight and diabetic children, however, the risk is higher.
Studies have shown that the now predominant Delta variant of the virus is the most contagious to date. Whether it also causes more severe disease has not yet been conclusively clarified. One thing is certain, however: the northeastern United States, where a large number of people are vaccinated, has the lowest infection rates among children. In other words: the risk of infection for children is greatest where the fewest adults are vaccinated.
School districts want to oppose DeSantis
Because of the high infectivity of the Delta variant, the US Disease Control Agency (CDC) advises students and teachers to wear masks – even if they are vaccinated. Governor DeSantis, however, threatens schools that adhere to this recommendation, financial losses.
Several school districts have already announced that they will oppose the governor’s order. The political battle over the mask has now reached the White House. “If you don’t want to help us, at least don’t stand in our way,” said President Joe Biden to unruly governors like DeSantis.
Mobeen Rathore specializes in infectious diseases in children and warns against playing down Covid-19 in children. “Children also get sick and have to go to the hospital and intensive care unit. Some also die from it,” he says. The pediatrician advocates masks in class.
In the long term, children would also have to be vaccinated, says Rathore. Vaccinations have been possible in the United States since May for children aged twelve and over. A vaccine for younger people should not be approved until the end of the year at the earliest.
Twelve year old Jayden just got his vaccination at a stadium in Miami. He is happy to be able to go back to school soon. “Last year we had to stay at home all the time, it got boring,” he says. Despite the vaccination, he still wants to wear a mask. “This is important so that we are all safe.”
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
