NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Mike Osborne) -- Researchers at Vanderbilt University could bring much needed clarity to a question that is fueling a growing national controversy.
A new Vanderbilt University Medical Center study will help determine how often children are contracting coronavirus.
Just how vulnerable children are to the virus was argued during Tuesday’s Senate hearing featuring top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Dr. Fauci recommended caution when asked if it will be safe for America’s children to return to school in the fall.
Dr. Fauci also told Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander that expecting students to return to the nation's univeristy campuses this fall might be "a bridge too far."
Fauci's conerns are that a vaccine likely won't be available before school's open in August. He's also concern that virus testing may still not be widely available.
President Trump yesterday disputed Fauci’s testimony. The president is reported saying "It's just -- to me it's not an acceptable answer, especially when it comes to schools."
To date, just over 400 of Metro Nashville's 3800 plus coronavirus positive individuals have been youth ranging from newborn to 20 years of age.
Vanderbilt researchers will study COVID-19 infection rates among children in 10 U.S. cities.
