PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — As COVID-19 cases rise, a spokesman for the Palm Beach Health Network said local hospitals are seeing an increase in patients, including pediatric cases.
At the Progress Pharmacy in West Palm Beach, Stephanie Siroff is worried.
"As a pharmacist and mother of three, I'm mostly concerned now for pediatrics because now we’re seeing a lot of cases of COVID," Siroff said.
The results are coming from the testing at the pharmacy, which has been on the rise, along with the number of positive COVID tests among children.
"We’re seeing about 50% because there is a pair of RSV and influenza as well that’s going around, so unfortunately some are getting both," Siroff said.
RSV is a respiratory virus that infects the lungs. Combined with COVID, it can be extremely serious.
Phamacist Franck Kacou said the symptoms in children are basically the same.
"Their symptoms are very different from the adults. It’s hard to tell. They might be easily fatigued, lethargic, they might complain of sore throat," Kacou said.
Kacou said that once a child tests positive, then the family must be tested.
"Typical issue is kid comes in, 10 years old, positive, and it becomes a problem so now the family has to get tested," Kacou said.
And many times they say even vaccinated parents and family members are testing positive.
