In the early days of Covid-19 it was thought that children might be more susceptible to catching the virus and more likely to spread it, as is the case with flu. However, the evidence from many countries is that it appears that this is not the case.
- Children have a very low risk of becoming ill if they catch Covid-19.
- A study of 55,000+ patients found that just 0.8% were under the age of 19.
- At 31 July 2020, those admitted to critical care units in England, Wale and Northern Ireland were 60 or older. More than three-quarters (75%) were over 50, and fewer than 10% were younger than 40.
- Children often have a 'milder disease than adults'. Although cases of an inflammatory syndrome have been reported, this is extremely rare.
- August 2020. There is some evidence that infected children present with gastric symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting and abdominal cramps. A US study of 992 children revealed 68 had virus antibodies. Of the 68, around a third (21) had fever, and nearly a quarter (13) had gastric symptoms.
- China: none of the infections in family groups were likely to have been introduced by children.
- French Alps: children testing positive did not pass it on to anyone of the more than 100 people they had had contact with.
- Community studies in Iceland, South Korea, Italy (which tested 70% of its population) and the Netherlands all found evidence that children were less likely to have (or have had) the virus than adults.
On the issue of school opening, it is thought that any spread is more likely among the staff and among parents at the school gate.
Source. Article in New Scientist, July 2020 plus other later news items.
