von • Covid-19 is a contagious disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
• Medical professionals are concerned with the potential effects of the virus on children due to its high rate of transmission.
• New research suggests that young children may not be as susceptible to severe illness from Covid-19 as previously thought.
Overview of Covid-19
Covid-19 is a contagious disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and medical professionals are concerned about its potential effects on children due to its high rate of transmission.
Previous Research
Previous research suggested that young children may be more likely than older adults to develop severe illness from Covid-19, but this has yet to be definitively confirmed.
New Findings
New research conducted by a team at Washington University in St. Louis suggests that younger children may not be as susceptible to severe illness from Covid-19 as previously thought. Specifically, the study found that while infants and toddlers were more likely than older adults to contract the virus, they were less likely to become seriously ill and require hospitalization. The research also found that younger children did not have higher death rates than older adults who contracted the virus.
Implications for Schools
The findings of this study could have implications for schools reopening in fall 2020 in areas where cases of Covid-19 remain relatively high. It suggests that younger children may not need to take extra precautions when returning to school or childcare facilities, which could help ease some of parents’ worries about sending their kids back into public settings during a pandemic.
Further Research Necessary
While these findings are encouraging, further research is needed before any definitive conclusions can be made about how susceptible young children are to becoming severely ill from Covid-19 and what impact it will have on reopening schools in fall 2020 or beyond.
