FLOYD COUNTY, Ga. — The death of a 13-year-old in north Georgia is a reminder to parents across the state that while it’s unlikely their child could die from COVID-19, it’s not impossible.
His death serves as a tragic reminder that children are not entirely protected from the virus.
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Pediatricians and state public health officials have had their eyes on rising COVID-19 numbers among children for weeks.
According to state data, the number of cases have spiked across the state since July.
Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey says that half of the 170 outbreaks in the state can be linked back to a school.
“The schools are a site where there is COVID transmission going on. And we’re working hard with the superintendents to try to address these issues in the schools,” she said.
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The Floyd County coroner says the teenager battled COVID-19 for a week until his father noticed he had stopped breathing. He died just hours later from respiratory complications.
“He had no other health issues that were known. And he just could not make it through the COVID virus,” Floyd County Coroner Harold Proctor said.
Diedra Howard, a parent in Floyd County, says that her prayers are with the family, but she is also concerned about the safety of her own child.
“Almost every other day, I’m getting a phone call or a text message saying that my child was exposed to COVID,” Howard told Channel 2′s Matt Johnson.
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More than 19,000 Georgians have died from the virus. One of those deaths was a child between the ages of 1 and 4. Two children between the ages of 5 and 9 died. 10 children between the ages of 10 and 17 passed away because of the virus.
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