Everything you need to know about kids and Covid

With rising case numbers in children, here is everything you need to know about how coronavirus affects young people.

With cases rising in children, here’s everything you need to know about Covid and kids. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Q. WHY ARE MORE CHILDREN GETTING COVID?

A. It’s because the Delta strain is highly transmissible, Australian deputy chief medical officer Professor Michael Kidd says. Plus the rapid spread among household members. “It also reflects the protection provided by vaccination to older people, especially those aged 60 years and above,’’ Prof Kidd says.

Q. WHERE DO CHILDREN PICK UP THE INFECTION?

A. Although outbreaks can occur in schools and childcare, infection usually happens in the home, Professor Fiona Russell from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute said. “Households are a critical place because adults bring it into the house and there are two or three kids and they get infected.’’

Q. WHY DOES IT SEEM TO AFFECT CHILDREN DIFFERENTLY TO ADULTS?

A. Simply, kids’ immune system operates slightly differently to adults. Murdoch Institute paediatrician Dr Shidan Tosif said kids’ immune systems have been able to deal quickly and effectively with the virus. “Children have been able to shut this virus down, primarily because their innate immune response is their first line of defence.’’

Q. WHAT COVID SYMPTOMS DO CHILDREN GET?

A. The symptoms are the same as adults, but generally milder and less likely to require hospital treatment. Those symptoms include a runny nose, fever, scratchy throat and loss of taste. Fiona Russell quote here: “Kids can get some diarrhoea and vomiting, all of those non-specific things from any childhood illness, but nothing majorly different.’’

Early but limited research indicates the effects of long Covid affect children less.

Q. WILL CHILDREN END UP IN HOSPITAL?

A. Relatively few, according to current data and forecasts. Of the 1304 Australians hospitalised this year, to August 20, just 60 were younger than 15 years. In the future, Professor Russell said: “There would be some admissions to hospital for children but we expect it to be quite small, although it’s not zero.’’

Q. HOW MANY CHILDREN GET SERIOUSLY ILL?

A. Not many. Nationally, just 0.17 per cent of all ICU cases were aged under 20. And it’s certainly low numbers compared to other viruses.

Q. HOW MANY CHILDREN `HAVE DIED THIS YEAR?

A. Just one, a 15-year-old in Sydney who had another serious medical condition which they were being treated for in hospital.

Q. WHAT ABOUT LONG COVID, DOES THAT CONDITION AFFECT CHILDREN?

A. Early and limited research indicates that “long Covid” affects children less. One UK study found that of children who had caught Covid, just 2 per cent still had persistent symptoms eight weeks later, Prof Russell said. The rate is far lower and the seriousness of symptoms were much less when compared to adults. What could be a factor, she said, was how much was psychological because of the broader pandemic impacts rather than biological.

Q. HOW EFFECTIVE IS MASK-WEARING FOR CHILDREN?

A. Health authorities have recommended primary school children wear masks but anyone 12 and over must wear a fitted face mask when they leave home. Dr Tosif said the main reason would be to slow the transmission of the virus. Although children don’t generally suffer from Covid, they can still spread the virus similar to adults.