As decision-makers weigh whether to reopen U.S. schools this fall, they face a daunting reality: COVID-19 appears to have surged among American kids this summer. On July 16, there were approximately 242,000 confirmed cases in children; by July 30, that number rose by over 97,000, an approximately 40% increase, according to a new report. That translates to an increase from 319 cases per 100,000 American children to 447 cases per 100,000, in just two weeks. The report , from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association, counts nearly 340,000 total confirmed cases in children as of July 30. Recently, evidence has emerged that COVID-19 seems to not to produce as severe symptoms in children as it does in adults, which has given new justification for communities and lawmakers to push to reopen schools for in-person classes. However, these new data , compiled by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children’s Hospital Association, are a