Question 1

COVID-19 and Children

immunoresearch · Accepted Answer

Since the earliest days of the presentation of COVID-19, it was generally assumed that children were less at risk for infection than adults. Recent data shows that this may not be the case. In fact, in October, alone, children accounted for 200,000 of the new cases of COVID-19 being reported. With recent data suggesting the majority of new cases have been coming from the ‘young adult’ population, it now appears that there may be cause for concern that this population may not just be transmitting the virus to the elderly, but to their own children, as well. This supposition is supported by a recent study conducted in North Carolina which found that 77% of children and adolescents who lived with a household member who was infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus had a positive COVID-19 RT/PCR test. Possible reasons for the increased risk of infection where having an infected sibling or Hispanic ethnicity. Interestingly, asthma was associated with a lower risk. Also of interest is a study conducted in New York of children and adults with COVID-19 that revealed that there where different antibody responses between the adult and pediatric populations.

Question 2

COVID-19 and Children

immunoresearch · Accepted Answer

Since the earliest days of the presentation of COVID-19, it was generally assumed that children were less at risk for infection than adults. Recent data shows that this may not be the case. In fact, in October, alone, children accounted for 200,000 of the new cases of COVID-19 being reported. With recent data suggesting the majority of new cases have been coming from the ‘young adult’ population, it now appears that there may be cause for concern that this population may not just be transmitting the virus to the elderly, but to their own children, as well. This supposition is supported by a recent study conducted in North Carolina which found that 77% of children and adolescents who lived with a household member who was infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus had a positive COVID-19 RT/PCR test. Possible reasons for the increased risk of infection where having an infected sibling or Hispanic ethnicity. Interestingly, asthma was associated with a lower risk. Also of interest is a study conducted in New York of children and adults with COVID-19 that revealed that there where different antibody responses between the adult and pediatric populations.