DAYTON, Ky. — The American Academy of Pediatrics reported more than 240,000 children have tested positive for COVID-19 in the United States in the past week.
That is the second-highest weekly number since the pandemic began.
Some local parents said they have a lot of fear for their children, especially younger ones who cannot get the vaccine.
Dorothy Hauser of Dayton, Kentucky, said her whole family is battling the virus.
"It's just praying we all make a full recovery, a 100%," Hauser said.
Hauser said her daughter picked it up at school. Now her husband and three other children have COVID-19. She said her family is unvaccinated for health reasons.
"My 10-year-old, who can't even get vaccinated, has a brain disease," she said.
Hauser said her 19-year-old daughter contracted the virus at college. She is now scared to send her other children back to school due to fear of reinfection.
In Ohio, children keep making up a more significant portion of the state's total cases.
Lebanon City Schools has seen that firsthand.
"The delta variant is performing and behaving very differently than what we experienced last school year," said superintendent Isaac Seevers.
RELATED: Lebanon Schools closed until Sept. 7 because of rising number of COVID-19 quarantines
His district had more than 900 students in a quarantine process on Aug. 30 and implemented a three-week mask requirement in response. As a result, Seevers said, the district has seen exposure rates come down.
"Right now, what we understand is if you're wearing a mask or if you're vaccinated, you get to stay in school," Seevers said. "Masking in the building is allowing us to keep those kids from having to quarantine."
Across town, West Clermont Middle School closed campus temporarily because of too many staff members out due to COVID-19.
RELATED: West Clermont schools grapple with best COVID-19 policy approach
Daryl Ahrman has children who attend school there.
"It just spreads so quick," Ahrman said.
Some of Ahrman's children are too young to get vaccinated. He said he does not understand why some are choosing to remain unvaccinated.
"It's nothing different than we've done," Ahrman said. "I mean, we've vaccinated kids. My kids had to get vaccines growing up to go to school. "
West Clermont has recommended students and staff wear masks in school. Ahrman wished more people would wear masks.
"Everyone hates wearing a mask," he said. "I don't like it. I wish things would be back to normal. I don't want to do it. But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to help other people."
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends two simple things to keep children safe.
First: Get children who are eligible vaccinated.
Second: Wear masks in schools as long as children are older than 2 and have no medical conditions that would prevent them from doing so.
Learn more about the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommendations at www.aap.org.
