JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – An 11-year-old boy was the first child in Duval County to test positive for the coronavirus, according to Florida Department of Health data.
Based on available evidence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children do not appear to be at higher risk for COVID-19 than adults. But health officials say every age group needs to be aware because you still can be a carrier and give the virus to someone who’s more vulnerable.
“We’ve never said that it’s only 65 and older. There’s evidence that it negatively impacts elderly and immunodeficient communities, but we’ve never said it’s just older people,” Brian Hughes, chief administrative officer for the City of Jacksonville, said at a news conference Sunday. “Our goal is to get everybody, old and young across every demographic, to understand that this is a virus.”
During the news conference, officials declined to comment on any details about the child in Duval County.
WACH-TV reports there was a 7-month-old in South Carolina who tested positive. According to WACH, the baby’s mother said her son had to go to urgent care with a 104-degree temperature.
“It’s really sad to watch him," said Courtney Doster, the baby’s mother
The child’s mother said her son has two siblings who had not contracted the virus but are in quarantine.
While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19, according to the CDC, adults make up most of the known cases to date. The CDC says the symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in children and adults.