Of all the children in Florida who have been tested for the novel coronavirus COVID-19, nearly one-third of them have tested positive.
The data from the state’s Department of Health comes amid highly charged debate over whether schools will reopen this fall.
HuffPost reports that of the 54,022 people under the age of 18 who have been tested for COVID-19, 16,797 of them, or roughly 31%, have tested positive.
In contrast, roughly 11% of everyone in the state who has been tested for the virus — roughly 2.8 million people — has tested positive.
But the alarming news hasn't deterred Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has continued to push for schools to reopen this fall.
On Tuesday, DeSantis told mayors in south Florida — the state’s hardest-hit area for cases — that opening schools again is low-risk.
There is risk in everything. What’s the level of risk for school-age children? ... Fortunately, the risk is relatively low. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Reported by Tampa Bay Times
