What is the likelihood of reinfection and the outcome of a COVID-19 infection in a child or adolescent?
A recently released preprint study of COVID-19 reinfection in children and adolescents answered that question.
The authors of the preprint study are from several countries: The Centers for Disease Control and the Institute of Public Health in Serbia. The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, in Greece.
John P.A. Ioannidis of Stanford University in the US is among the authors.
The observational study followed 32,524 residents of Serbia <18 years of age with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between March 6, 2020, and April 30, 2022. They were followed up until July 31, 2022.
Results
From March 2020 to July 2022, 964 children (3.0%) out of 32,524 had reinfection.
The average duration from primary infection to reinfection was 240±117 days (min 90 days–max 591 days). Most reinfections (93.9%) were recorded in 2022 during the Omicron variant wave.
The number of SARS-CoV-2 documented reinfections was 3.2 cases per 1000 person-months. It was highest in adolescents aged 12-17 (3.4%).
Person-month provides accurate comparisons among groups when follow-up time is not the same in all groups.
In this study, there were 3.2 reinfections among 1,000 children per month.
Risk of reinfection with time
The risk of getting reinfected increases as time passes.
- 1.3% at six months
- 1.9% at nine months
- 4.0% at 12 months
- 6.7% at 15 months
- 7.2% at 18 months
- 7.9% after 21 months.
The Figures below present the Age-specific incidences of (A) primary SARS-CoV-2 infections and (B) reinfections in children and adolescents, Vojvodina, Serbia, March 6, 2020-July 31, 2022.
COVID-19 Reinfection Outcomes
School closures were reopened in Serbia in September/October 2021. The share of symptomatic pediatric cases increased sharply (26.4% and 34.3%, respectively), but the hospitalization rate was low (0.5% for primary infections and zero for reinfections).
The COVID-19 reinfection in children was generally mild.
The proportion of severe clinical COVID-19 decreased from 14 (1.4%) in initial episodes to 3 (0.3%) in reinfections.
Reinfected children were 4.7 times more likely to suffer from severe disease during initial infection than reinfection.
Pediatric reinfections rarely led to hospitalization (0.5% vs. 1.3% during primary infections), and none resulted in death.
Authors Conclusion
Reinfections are becoming more frequent as the pandemic progresses, yet the risk remains substantially lower for children and adolescents compared to adults.
Pediatric infections rarely had clinical consequences, and reinfections were even milder than primary infections.
Consider this study if you are considering having your children get the COVID jabs. Learn more about the Pfizer study for COVID jabs in children.
Dr. Clare Craig exposes the twisted Pfizer COVID trial for babies and young children.
Comment
This study is consistent with the US experience.
- USA study: Adults and children with the Omicron variant have milder COVID-19
- COVID-19 in children 0-17 years old have a low risk of death and hospitalization
- Children 5-11 Years Old have Mild COVID-19.
One reason why COVID-19 reinfections in children are mild is that they mostly happened during the Omicron wave. Omicron is highly infectious but less deadly.
- A multinational study shows why the Omicron variant has low fatality and high infectivity.
- A higher number of COVID-19 cases but no change in death rates. The South African omicron experience
- Omicron can evade antibodies from vaccinated and COVID convalescent people
- Omicron infections elicit neutralizing antibodies against other variants of concern
Natural immunity from previous exposure to different SARS-CoV-2 variants can also protect children.
Truth heals. Lies kill. Don’t Get Sick!
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Related:
- USA study: Adults and children with the Omicron variant have milder COVID-19
- COVID-19 infections among infants: Symptoms and who gets hospitalized
- Mothers with young children were most harmed by the Melbourne lockdown
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