Florida has more than 56,000 pediatric cases of COVID-19
President Trump at a rally Monday night declared that in some states “like nobody” younger than 18 is affected by COVID-19, but Florida’s pediatric report which was released Tuesday morning shows more than 56,000 people younger than 18 are infected in the Sunshine State.
“You know, in some states, thousands of people, nobody young. Below the age of 18, nobody," Trump said of the virus on Monday.
Data from the Florida Department of Health debunks the claim that people under 18 are unaffected by COVID-19.
Statewide there have been over 56,000 pediatric cases, over 700 hospitalizations and eight deaths.
The positivity rate in people under 18 Volusia County is 13.1%, Orange County is at 11.5%, Osceola County is at 14% and Seminole County’s is 10.8%.
Dr. Rajiv Bahl, an emergency room physician says that while it does seem young people fair better in fighting coronavirus, some still suffer severe symptoms.
"This virus knows no age," Bahl said.
Bahl said that once a vaccine is available, kids will need it. But at this point, only adults are part of clinical trials.
"The adult populations are easier to do with the ethics and bylaws that go along with doing a trial. Unfortunately doing a children's trial takes a little bit more work to do. It's not impossible to do these trials, however, we need to make sure it's many times safe in adults before we start putting these trials in children as well,” Bahl said.