Should I send my child back to school? This is the latest science on coronavirus and kids
We are a few weeks away from back-to-school season, and debate around school reopening is intensifying. Meanwhile, the science around children and COVID-19 is still evolving. One thing is clear: the decision-making process will be unique for each district, school, and family. Here, we answer some of the most pressing questions:
Can children catch COVID-19?
Yes, but they are less likely than adults. A study published in Science has shown that children under age 14 are between one-third and one-half as likely as adults to contract the virus. Another group of researchers looked at 2,000 children and teachers in schools around the German state of Saxony. Tests were carried out in several schools after reopening where there had been known outbreaks of the virus. There were few coronavirus antibodies among children and teachers indicating that only some of them had gotten the disease.
Around 7% of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have been among children younger than 18, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, older Americans now represent a lower percentage of infections than they did at the start of the outbreak. Most schools around the country closed in March as the virus began to circulate more widely. That could explain why fewer children got sick.
What happens to kids when they get coronavirus?
Severe impact from COVID-19 is rare for children – most recover within one to two weeks.
"We tested over 8,000 children and the vast majority of these children are having mild symptoms," said Roberta DeBiasi, the chief of pediatric infectious diseases at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.
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