While the novel coronavirus continues to
wreak havoc across the globe, children have been largely known to be
sheltered from the novel contagion. According to the World Health
Organization, the direct impact of COVID-19 on child mortality seems to
be “very limited.” The available research so far dictates that children
and adolescents may be at a lower risk of developing illness from the
novel coronavirus when compared to adults and elderlies.
Children may be carrying high levels of coronavirus: Findings of a new study
A new study has found that kids under the
age of five carry 10 to 100 times more genetical material of the novel
coronavirus in their noses when compared to adults. The pathbreaking
study has been published in the journal JAMA Paediatrics and shed lights
on the fact that young children could be the drivers of transmission of
novel coronavirus within household and communities.
How was the study conducted
To conduct this study, the researchers took
nasal swabs of 145 patients in Chicago, within one week of onset of
symptoms. The patients had developed mild to moderate symptoms of the
disease. Out of 145 patients, 46 were young children (age less than 5
years), 51 children (age between 5 to 17) and 48 were adults aged
between 18 to 65.
The findings of the research
After studying the nasal swabs of the
Chicago patients, it was found that young children (aged less than five)
had 10 to 100 times greater amount of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in their
upper respiratory tract. According to a report published in AFP, a
recent lab study had demonstrated that the more viral genetic material
(higher nucleic acid levels) was present, the more the infection
capabilities.
The bottom line
As per the news agency, it has been reported
in the past that children with high viral loads of the respiratory
syncytial virus (RSV) are more likely to spread the disease. RSV is
known to cause respiratory tract infections in humans. While earlier
reports did not find strong evidence of children as major contributors
to SARS-CoV-2 spread, the recent study has highlighted the importance of
“targeting immunization efforts in children as SARS-CoV-2 vaccines
become available”.