HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Children’s hospitals across South Florida are seeing an increase in patients with COVID-19.

At Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, a total of 25 children are currently admitted with symptoms while 15 of those 25 are in Intensive Care Units.

Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital said in the first 10 days of August, they have treated 160 children with COVID-19.

“The most striking thing is how the increase in the families that are coming in that are positive, not just the one patient but all the parents are positive, all the siblings are positive,” said Memorial Healthcare System nurse manager Anthony Sanders.

The American Academy of Pediatrics urges the FDA to expand vaccine authorization to those younger than 12.

They said current FDA trials provide enough data to expand authorization now.

Pfizer plans on asking for emergency approval for children ages 5 to 11 by September and Moderna plans on doing the same by winter.

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