Pediatric cases of COVID-19 are declining in the U.S.: 'Encouraging news'

Melissa Moy
(Image credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

New COVID-19 cases are declining in the United States, including among children, amid what one expert believes will be the "last major wave of infection."

Since Sept. 1, the number of new daily cases of COVID-19 in the United States has declined 35 percent, The New York Times reports. According to CNN, the U.S. is currently averaging about 107,000 new cases each day, compared to over 150,000 a month ago. Plus, the Times writes, "even pediatric cases are falling, despite the lack of vaccine authorization for children under 12."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The Times' David Leonhardt writes that the overall decline in COVID-19 cases in the United States is coming "even as millions of American children have again crowded into school buildings," though he cautions that "there is no guarantee that the decline in caseloads will continue."

But Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, told the Times that "barring something unexpected, I'm of the opinion that this is the last major wave of infection." The decline also comes as parents are still waiting for a coronavirus vaccine to be made available for kids under 12. Pfizer and BioNTech are seeking authorization of their vaccine for kids between 5 and 11, and experts say that vaccine could earn emergency approval by Halloween.

Explore More
Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.