Children make up nearly 20% of Colorado COVID-19 cases

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- More kids in Colorado are getting the Coronavirus - with the majority of those cases happening at the start of the 2020 school year.

According to a recent study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association, children now make up 22% of recent COVID-19 cases in the United States.

In Colorado, people between the ages of 0 and 19 make up 16.4% of total cases. The study also showed 847 kids have been hospitalized and 13 have died from the virus in the state.

Professor of Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine Thomas Campbell says there are a few reasons why we are seeing this increase in cases. One has to do with a growing number of COVID-19 variants spreading in Colorado. He says since April 10th of this year, variants make up 70% of cases in Colorado. Campbell also says the spike in cases started when schools reopened at the beginning of the academic year with kids returning to the classroom.

Campbell says this concerning trend will continue until a portion of that age group can get vaccinated. Pfizer has recently requested the Food and Drug Administration to authorize the use of its vaccine for those 12 to 15-years-old. The FDA is expected to approve the vaccine for that age group sometime next week.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.