US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, White House adviser Jared Kushner have stated they are resolved to send their children back to school despite concerns being voiced that they could be exposed to the coronavirus.
When questioned on CBS News' "Face the Nation" on Sunday if his children would be resuming "in-person education", Jared Kushner responded:
"Absolutely".
The American investor and real-estate developer who is a senior adviser to his father-in-law, President Trump made reference to cited lower risk of complications from COVID-19 for children.
"Based on the data I have seen, I don't believe that that's a risk… Again, this virus impacts different people in different ways. We know a lot more now than we did", said Kushner.
While omitting any specific data source to confirm his remarks, Jared Kushner claimed that children were six times more likely to die from the flu than the coronavirus.
"Our school is not opening up five days a week, I wish they were… But we absolutely will be sending our kids back to school and I have no fear in doing so", said Ivanka Trump's husband.
Netizens were dubious about the statement, with some suggesting the couple send their youngsters to a public school instead of a "cushie rich" one.
Many social media users noted that the "jury was still out" on just how the coronavirus impacts children.
As the global coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on, parents have been facing the option of either sending their children back to school, thus risking exposure to COVID-19, or continuing to keep them at home despite implied academic setbacks.
Donald Trump has repeatedly called for schools to reopen.
"The lower they are in age, the lower the risk… We have to remember that there's another side to this. Keeping them out of school and keeping work closed is causing death also. Economic harm, but it’s causing death for different reasons, but death. Probably more death", Trump said at a news briefing in the White House on 30 July.
This comes as health experts say children - about 22 percent of the country's population – account for over 7 percent of all coronavirus cases in the US, with the number and rate of cases "steadily increasing" from March to July.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted the updated figures alongside guidance for pediatricians about how the virus affects children.