Healthline: New Research Finds Kids Just as Likely as Adults to Spread COVID-19
By Leah Campbell
As the reopening of schools and daycares during the pandemic continues to be a hotly debated subject, new research shows that children are not as resilient to COVID-19 as many previously believed.
Not only did the researchers find that the use of personal protective measures, such as masks, and physical or social distancing reduces the likelihood of transmission, they also found that the rate of transmission for children age 10 and over can be just as high as adults.
As our knowledge of COVID-19 has increased, so has our understanding of how the disease affects children.
Dr. Jennifer E. Schuster, pediatric infectious diseases physician at Children’s Mercy in Kansas City, Missouri, understands that frustration and the confusion all this rapidly changing information can cause.
“However,” Schuster explained, “new information allows us to make better recommendations and better take care of our children and families.”
She encourages people to look to verified sources for the latest updates, identifying the CDC website, local public health departments and even your own medical practitioner as the best sources of information.
In the meantime, Schuster said protecting kids is the same as protecting adults.
“Children should physically distance, and those who are 2 years old and older should wear a mask. Children should practice hand hygiene correctly and frequently, just like adults,” she said, pointing out that establishing these practices at home can help better equip your children to protect themselves when they’re out in the world.
“We have learned a lot in the last 8 months about COVID-19, and we will continue to learn more, which will help us take better care of our community,” Schuster said. “It is our job to mitigate risks, so we can continue to take care of everyone: from infants to adults.”
“COVID-19 is a serious disease,” Schuster said. “Although children are at lower likelihood to have serious illness, many people in the community do get very sick. It is everyone’s responsibility to help decrease the spread of COVID-19, including children.”
Read the full story via Healthline
Read Children's Mercy guidelines for Returning to School and the Community Safely