COVID-19 IN CHILDREN
I am continuing to do my best to make sense out of the Covid-19 stats. To that end I would like to share some information with you about the perhaps justifiable concern that many parents have had up to this point regarding physically returning their children to public schools. I have to preface my comments and reference to this most recent study by stating that we are learning more and more every day about the susceptibility of specific populations, forms of treatment that are the most effective, and the virulence of the virus.
This most recent study was published in JAMA On-Line September 25, 2020. The title of the study is: “Susceptibility to SARS-Co-V-2 Infection Among Children and Adolescents Compared With Adults”. The authors stated purpose of the study was “What is the evidence on the susceptibility to and transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among children and adolescents compared with adults?”
So, here is their conclusion: “Conclusions and Relevance In this meta-analysis, there is preliminary evidence that children and adolescents have lower susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2, with an odds ratio of 0.56 for being an infected contact compared with adults. There is weak evidence that children and adolescents play a lesser role than adults in transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at a population level.” Therefore, the susceptibility rate for children and adolescents to contract a coronavirus infection, and to end up being diagnosed with Covid-19 is extremely low, and the likelihood of a child or adolescent transmitting the virus among themselves is also minute.
This data assuages concerns that if one child in a classroom is diagnosed with the Covid-19 that is will spread through the classroom like wildfire. The study, while documenting the low likelihood that children and adolescents will contract the virus, or transmit it among their population, did not study the potential for transmission from children and adolescents to adults. However, due to the low incidence of school aged children contracting the virus in the first place we must conclude that the likelihood of epidemic transmission from that population to the adult population would also be relatively low.