Children and teens do get COVID-19, but their infections are mild and rarely fatal, according to a recent study profiled in BMJ, a leading medical journal.
The study showed that severe COVID-19 is rare in kids and teens, and death is exceptionally rare, occurring only in those with serious underlying conditions. It was also noted that Black children have a disproportionately high rate of severe COVID-19 illness.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 651 children and teens with COVID-19 who were admitted to 138 hospitals in England, Scotland and Wales between mid-January and early July.
During a minimum follow-up of two weeks, 18% of the patients were admitted to critical care, with the highest risk among those who were Black, younger than 1 month of age or between 10 and 14 years old.
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare condition believed to be linked to COVID-19. The children in the study with MIS-C were older (average age: 10.7 years) and more likely to be non-white, the findings showed.
Although children with MIS-C were more likely to be admitted to critical care with symptoms such as fatigue, headache, muscle pain and sore throat, as well as a low blood platelet count, there were no deaths among patients with MIS-C.
Source: Drugs.com September 1, 2020