A study published Monday found that COVID-19 was the eighth leading cause of death in children in America, according to CNN. While the virus has been the third most common cause of death in the population, federal data shows that the deaths of those under 18 have accounted for just 1 percent of all COVID fatalities since the pandemic began. “Pediatric deaths are rare by any measure. It’s something that that we don’t expect to happen and it’s a tragedy in a unique way. It’s a really profound event,” Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases, told CNN. “It’s less severe in children, but that does not mean it’s a benign disease in children. Just because the numbers are so much lower in children doesn’t mean that they’re not impactful.”