Initial studies show COVID-19 less severe in children
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - With the latest cases of the COVID-19 in the Tampa Bay area, Jess Arnaudin’s Tuesday afternoon trip to the park with her children involved more than usual concerns for safety.
“[The disease is] something I’m researching and thinking about daily, for sure,” Arnaudin told FOX 13.
Dr. Juan Dumois, a pediatric infectious disease doctor with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, says there’s data that could put her worry at ease – at least for her kids.
“[Children] are not having any symptoms at all or they are so mildly ill that they are not ending up hospitalized,” Dumois said.
Dr. Dumois says data from the CDC shows, out of a sampling of 1,000, under 10 patients were children -- and they only had mild symptoms.
“It may have to do with the fact that most children are healthy and they are healthier than most adults who have damaged their bodies over decades of mistreatment,” Dumois said.
The majority of deadly cases of the illness include patients over the age of 60 who are already in bad health.
If you feel sick
The Florida Department of Health has opened a COVID-19 Call Center at 1-866-779-6121. Agents will answer questions Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Questions may also be emailed to covid-19@flhealth.gov. Email responses will be sent during call center hours.
LINK: Florida's COVID-19 website
CORONAVIRUS IN FLORIDA: What you need to know