How high is the risk for children, with COVID-19 infection is?
It shall continue to apply, the spread of COVID-19 due to contact restrictions as much as possible to contain, even if the first steps of the easing has been initiated. The schools are to be opened as the next step, not least because of the risk of infection with the new Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is classified in children as relatively low. A new study shows, however, that the number of children who are infected with the Coronavirus, it seems to be much higher than previously assumed.
In the current investigation of the University of South Florida (USF), it was found that, apparently, far more children with SARS-CoV-2 infect, as until now it was suspected. The results of the study were published in the English journal “Journal of Public Health Management and Practice”.
Far more children are infected
The researchers estimate that for every child in need because of COVID-19-intensive in-patient care, approximately 2.381 children are unnoticed, get infected with the Virus. This calculation follows a report by the Chinese center for disease control and prevention, a clinical trial of more than 2,100 children with COVID-19 in China.
How is the situation in the USA?
According to the data of a North American register, were between the age of 18. March and 6. April supplied a total of 74 children in the United States because of COVID-19 in intensive care. This means that in this period, probably more 176.190 children were infected. On children under two years of age, 30 percent of the cases, the intensive care accounted for 24 percent were between two and eleven years of age, and 46 percent of the cases were children between twelve and 17 years of age.
More children are developing COVID-19
If by the end of the year 2020 up to 25 percent of the U.S. infected population with the Coronavirus, would be about 50,000 sick children in hospital, report the researchers. Of these children of 5,400 would be seriously ill, having to be mechanically ventilated. Clinical Reports indicate that the average length of stay in paediatric COVID-19-cases, 14 days, and in the United States, only about 5,100 beds for the required intensive care are available.
Hospitals should be prepared
“Although the risk of serious disease by COVID-19 in children is lower than in adults, should be sick of the houses prepared and the right equipment and staffing have to be able to come up with a possible influx of younger patients,” says study author Professor Jason Salemi of the University of South Florida in a press release.
Probability of capacity problems, it should be noted
Government officials and policy makers should be aware of the probability of capacity problems, underscoring the importance of effective mitigation strategies, so the research team. In the pediatric area of the consequences of the Coronavirus are also very complex.
Children do not pay attention to the self-isolation
Also after discharge from the hospital children are young may not be able to comply with the recommendations for domestic infection control and self-isolation, self-employed, warn the researchers. The increase the risk of further infections. If children come from low-income families in which the parents work in Occupations where there is no opportunity for work from home, increases the rate of infection. This aspect should also be attention. (as)