Massachusetts trails national rates of how many of its coronavirus cases are in children, but those up to age 19 make up 6,900 of the state’s cases since the pandemic began, according to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association.
Those younger cases make up 5.9% of the state’s total cases, compared to a national average through the end of July of 8.8%. That rate has steadily increased over the months of the pandemic, from 2.0% in mid-April to 5.6% in mid-June to 8.0% in mid-July.
Across Massachusetts, children made up 1.0% of the state’s hospitalizations, the report said, and 1.7% of child coronavirus cases required hospitalization.
More than 338,000 children — the definition varied by state — have been diagnosed with coronavirus nationwide, according to the study. More than 5 million in total have now tested positive.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association released its data at a time when many school districts are deciding whether or how to hold in-person classes starting this fall. The virus appears to be rare among children, the report said, but states should continue providing details on cases, testing, hospitalizations and mortality by age so effects on children’s health can be monitored.
New Jersey, which measured those up to age 17, had the nation’s best rate at 2.8%. Alabama, which included those up to 24 in its count, was the highest at 22.1%.
