STEP 7: How does COVID-19 affect children?

28 May. 2020

During his virtual speech on the second day of the 7^th STEP, Bhutta stated that "according to an analysis from China, children younger than 10 years old account for only 1% of COVID-19 cases, similar to the proportion of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV epidemics."

He stated that the majority of COVID-19 cases to date have been reported in adults.

"In Italy, only 1.2% of the cases were children and adolescents," he observed.

Bhutta further remarked that also in the U.S. and Canada the proportion of children cases in comparison to adults is very low.

Moreover, he mentioned that COVID-19 symptoms such as cough are uncommon and relatively mild in children.

"Pediatric clinical manifestations are not typical and are relatively milder in children with COVID-19, compared with that of adult patients," he said.

"Although children are capable of transmitting the virus, they are spared of some of the serious effects of the disease. So the closure of school served to reduce the transmission," Bhutta added.

Bhutta stated that these days "Kawasaki disease and Multisystem inflammatory syndrome are very common among children" which could be related to COVID-19.

He further talked about the condition of babies that are delivered by COVID-19 positive mothers.

"Most of the data show there is no vertical transition from mothers with COVID-19. No virus was detected in blood samples taken from babies. However, because these births take place in infected places, horizontal transition is highly possible."

Bhutta stated that there are no clear guidelines on how to prevent newborns from contracting the disease, but full barrier precautions like facial masks and also washing hands are essential.

He asserted that mothers infected with COVID-19 shall not stop breastfeeding their newborns. However, they ought to do it after washing their hands and using facemasks.

"To date, no evidence of COVID-19 transmission through breast milk has been announced," he concluded.

News Source: MSTF Media