Across the country, reports of child cases of coronavirus are spiking, yet Trump remains focused on getting children back to school as soon as possible, even if doing so is potentially unsafe. At a White House event today, he’s expected to do more of the same — lie and downplay the threat of the coronavirus while pushing for students, their families,and school workers to be put in danger.

Trump has repeatedly said that children are “almost immune” to the coronavirus, but new reports show an alarming increase in coronavirus cases among children — disproportionately impacting Black and Hispanic children. 

CBS News: “There has been a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases among children in the United States, according to a report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The association noted a 90% increase in pediatric cases over four weeks. From July 9 to August 6, confirmed cases of COVID-19 in children across the country went from 200,184 to 380,174 – an increase of 179,990 new cases, according to the pediatrics group. During the last two weeks of July alone, more than 97,000 children tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the AAP.”

CNN: “Black and Hispanic children are impacted more severely by coronavirus, with higher case rates, hospitalizations and virus-related complications, according to research released this week. These findings mirror similar reports across the nation of adults in minority communities being hit harder by Covid-19. … The report found Hispanic children were hospitalized for coronavirus at the highest rate, 16.4 per 100,000 people, followed by Black children at 10.5 per 100,000. In contrast, White children were hospitalized at a rate of 2.1 per 100,000.”

Children in states across the country are contracting coronavirus, yet Trump continues to push for schools to reopen even if doing so would risk the health of students, their teachers, and their families.

Georgia — BuzzFeed News: “A Georgia School District Has To Quarantine More Than 900 People Over Fears Of Coronavirus Exposure”

California — Fox News: “Coronavirus cases in children spike in California, according to reports”

Kentucky — Lexington Herald-Leader: “After Kentucky allowed regulated child care providers to reopen in June following a three-month shutdown, reports of COVID-19 infections among employees and children began to trickle in, according to state data. Two months later, new reports arrive on a daily basis. On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear said 123 child care facilities have disclosed infections for 96 staff members and 82 children.”

Massachusetts — Worcester Telegram & Gazette: “As school districts around Massachusetts decide on how they plan to reopen this fall, the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 continues to increase and the number of unknowns surrounding children and the disease remain. … Since the pandemic began, more than 394 Worcester residents 18 younger have tested positive for coronavirus, according to a spokesman for the city, while 17 have required hospitalization.”

Ohio — News 5 Cleveland: “Medical experts in Northeast Ohio and across the state have issued a warning and are giving advice to parents concerning a growing number of child COVID-19 cases statewide. … The governor unveiled the latest data from the Ohio Department of Health, showing child COVID-19 cases climbed to 12.8% when cases in children only made up 2.4% back in March.”

Minnesota — Star Tribune: “Children, teens fuel Minnesota COVID-19 case growth”

Florida — CNN: “Florida’s number of official Covid-19 cases in children has more than doubled over the past month, data from the state showed Tuesday. … In Florida, the total number of cases in children 17 and under rose from 16,797 on July 9 to 39,735 on August 9 — an increase of 137%, according to Florida Department of Health data.”

Pennsylvania — Penn Live: “Several student athletes at Central Dauphin High School have tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting the district to cancel team workouts and gatherings for all sports for the next week. According to school district officials, the student athletes had been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and, as a result, have received positive tests.”

Texas — San Antonio Express-News: “A Comal ISD high school student tested positive for COVID-19 during a school band camp, according to a letter sent to parents over the weekend. … The positive case comes only weeks before the school district will begin in-person instruction on Aug. 25.”

Hawaii — Honolulu Civil Beat: “Thirteen positive coronavirus cases have been reported across Hawaii Department of Education schools since the summer, the DOE said Tuesday, shortly after the teachers union pressed the department and health officials for greater transparency in school-based cases as many students return to school next week.”

Indiana — Indianapolis Star: “A Greenfield-Central High School student has tested positive for COVID-19, Superintendent Harold Olin said. The student attended school last week.”

Arkansas — The Daily Citizen: “The Searcy School District has been informed that three of its student-athletes — a football player and two members of the Lionsteppers – have tested positive for COVID-19.”

Meanwhile, a growing majority of voters oppose Trump’s push to fully reopen schools.

Politico: “A growing majority of voters oppose the Trump administration’s demand that schools and colleges fully open for in-person instruction, according to a new POLITICO/Morning Consult poll. In the survey of nearly 2,000 registered voters, 59 percent said they oppose fully reopening K-12 schools for the beginning of the academic year. Those numbers are up from polling last month that showed 53 percent opposed.”