More than 300 children in Texas day cares have caught COVID-19, and the numbers are rising

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Although COVID-19 transmission rates nationwide among children have appeared to remain relatively low, more than 300 children at Texas child care centers have tested positive, and the numbers are rising quickly.

As of Tuesday, there were 950 reported positive cases of COVID-19 — 307 children and 643 staff members — at 668 child care locations. Statewide, 12,207 licensed child care operations are open, and total reported coronavirus cases have risen from 59 cases in mid-May and 576 on June 23.

The rise comes as experts and health officials appear to diverge on how risky it is for children to gather in group settings like day care and school classrooms. The American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending that students be “physically present” in schools, saying that the educational advantages outweigh health risks. The academy says it thinks 3 feet of social distancing is sufficient for classrooms and stated that "the relative impact of physical distancing among children is likely small based on current evidence and certainly difficult to implement."

But guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that day care center providers consider a minimum of 6 feet of social distancing and dismiss students and most staff for two to five days if they have a confirmed coronavirus case so public health authorities can assess the situation.

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