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States and COVID-19 testing laboratories have reported more than 277,000 COVID-19 cases in school-aged children since March, with about twice as many cases in children aged 12-17 than younger children, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

“Although mortality and hospitalization in school-aged children was low, Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, and underlying conditions were more commonly reported among children who were hospitalized or admitted to an [intensive care unit], providing additional evidence that some children might be at increased risk for severe illness associated with COVID-19,” the authors said.

They said the findings “can provide a baseline for monitoring national trends. Monitoring at the local-level could inform decision-makers about which mitigation strategies are most effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in schools and communities.”