Hispanic and Black children facing higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalization: CDC

A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that Hispanic and Black children have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic at a disproportionate rate, underscoring how minority communities across the country have been among the hardest hit by COVID-19.

The report released Friday uses pediatric data collected from 14 states, including California, Georgia, New York and Ohio, between March 1 and July 25. The agency notes that children are still at a lower risk for serious complications from COVID-19 such as hospitalization but concluded that Black and Hispanic children are more likely to have such symptoms than their white peers.

“Among 526 children for whom race and ethnicity information were reported, 241 (45.8%) were Hispanic, 156 (29.7%) were black, 74 (14.1%) were white; 24 (4.6%) were non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander; and four (0.8%) were non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native,” the report states.

“These data will help to better define the clinical spectrum of disease in children and the contributions of race and ethnicity and underlying medical conditions to hospitalizations and outcomes,” the report adds. “Reasons for disparities in COVID-19-associated hospitalization rates by race and ethnicity are not fully understood.”

The report follows other data showing Black and Hispanic adults being disproportionately affected by the disease.

The latest CDC report comes as some schools around the country have started to return to in-person teaching, despite vocal opposition from Democratic lawmakers and some health experts. Democrats have argued that school districts need more money and resources to be able to reopen safely.

President Trump and his administration have pushed for schools to reopen for face-to-face instruction, emphasizing the reopening as part of a broader effort to restart the economy. Trump previously threatened to withhold federal funding from school districts who opt for virtual learning.

While some schools have reopened physically, many others — including some of the country’s largest districts — have announced in recent weeks that they will be teaching virtually for the fall.