According to a nationwide CDC survey conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, experiences of distress such as depressive and anxiety symptoms were 3-4 times greater than pre-pandemic periods. Additionally, more than 10 percent of respondents said they had seriously considered suicide in the past 30 days compared to just over 4% in 2018. A a CDC study published in June, suspected suicide attempt emergency department visits were higher in both girls (50.6%) and boys (3.7%) ages 12-17 during February 21–March 20, 2021 than during the same period in 2019. Jayson Rodriguez is an expert on suicide prevention from Hillside in metro Atlanta.