Sports outlets and survivalists retailers which sell bulletproof backpacks have seen sales soar following the deadly mass shootings in Texas and Ohio.

It’s a sign of the uncertain times we’re living in.

The product is not just for survivalists. Purchases are being made by ordinary people, including upper middle-class and upper-class professionals, as well as concerned parents who want to add an extra safety measure for their children. Most of the sales have come from people in California, Florida and New York.

Although the backpacks may seem like one way of safeguarding students, they do not guarantee total protection. In a shooting scenario, the backpack could protect approximately 25 percent of the body.

A description of the bulletproof backpack states that it is “built with lightweight armor throughout the interior, this backpack can be worn to protect you against bullets coming from behind. You can also take the backpack off and use it to shield your face or head whenever you feel that a greater level of protection is needed.”

A spokeswoman for the Justice Department cautions that products like bulletproof backpacks might not have gone through the same testing as equipment and armor for law enforcement and military.

Also, because of mass shootings, many schools around the country only allow clear and see-through backpacks for security purposes. And bulletproof backpacks are not cheap, costing into the hundreds of dollars.

Despite these factors, the bulletproof backpack can offer parents and their children some additional peace of mind.

Surviving the trauma effects of a mass shooting is life-changing. While many of the physical injuries can heal, the psychological damages can last a lifetime.

The National Center for PTSD estimates that 28 percent of people who have witnessed a mass shooting develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and about a third develop acute stress disorder.

Research also suggests that mass shooting survivors may be at greater risk for mental health difficulties compared with people who experience other types of trauma, such as natural disasters.

Last March, over a period of just 10 days, three people directly affected by school shootings, committed suicide.

Two of them were survivors of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and the third was the father of a first grader killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

One of the Parkland victims, Sydney Aiello, had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and struggled with “survivor’s guilt” after 17 of her classmates and staff members were gunned down on Feb. 14, 2018. She was 19 and a student at Florida Atlantic University when she committed suicide.

According to her mother, Sydney was afraid of being in a classroom and struggled to attend classes in college. She was reportedly sad but unfortunately, never asked for help.

Sydney had been a close friend to Meadow Pollack, one of the 17 people killed in the Parkland shooting. When interviewed after the Dayton and El Paso mass shootings, Meadow’s father, Andrew Pollack, voiced his disgust for the “pathetic” politicians who were pushing their legislative agendas in the wake of a national tragedy. He also blamed the media for ignoring any serious fact-finding.

Andrew Pollack’s critique of politically-motivated elected officials is on target. Annually, nearly 2,900 children and teens (ages 0 to 19) are shot and killed, and nearly 15,600 are shot and injured. That’s an average of 51 American young people every day.

Elected officials need to put aside politics and dig into the root causes of the gun violence epidemic.

By JIM ZBICK | tneditor@tnonline.com