This article talks about the risk of dying of COVID-19 among children. The purpose is to help parents make better decisions about vaccination.
On Oct 29, 2021, the FDA gave emergency use authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for children 5 to 11 Years of Age.
What is an Emergency Use Authorization or EUA?
The FDA defines the EUA.
Under section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, when the Secretary of HHS declares that an emergency use authorization is appropriate, FDA may authorize unapproved medical products or unapproved uses of approved medical products to be used in an emergency to diagnose, treat, or prevent serious or life-threatening diseases or conditions caused by chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear threat agents when specific criteria are met, including there are no adequate, approved, and available alternatives.
Is COVID-19 serious or life-threatening to children 5-11 years old?
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Cumulative Number of Child COVID-19 Cases as of 10/21/2021 is 6,295,648 [1]
How many children get hospitalized?
Children ranged from 1.6% to 4.3% of their total hospitalization (of all ages). Only 0.1% – 2.0% of all the child COVID-19 cases resulted in hospitalization [1]
COVID-19 Deaths
How many children with COVID-19 in the US died?
- Children were 0.00%-0.26% of all COVID-19 deaths,
- Seven states reported zero child deaths. [1]
- 0.00%-0.03% of all child COVID-19 cases resulted in death [1]
Does that sound like a severe or life-threatening condition?
Did more children die during the Pandemic?
In the early days of the pandemic, while the Wuhan strain was wreaking havoc, a study of 72 314 cases by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed no deaths among those less than nine years old. [12]
A study done in England showed no excess deaths in children during the pandemic year 2020. [3]
All-cause mortality rates were similar during lockdown compared with the period before lockdown in 2020 and a similar period in 2019.[3]
How about COVID-19 deaths in children for the rest of the world?
Approval of the FDA, even for Emergency Use, is followed by other countries. Let us see if children develop serious COVID-19 in other countries.
A study by Bhopal et al. showed, [2]
In these seven countries combined, 44 COVID-19 deaths were reported in 42,846 confirmed cases (0.1%).
This compares with 13,200 estimated deaths from all causes, including 1056 from unintentional injury and 308 from lower respiratory tract infection (107 from influenza).
The situation in each country was almost identical. By early data from China, i.e., COVID rarely kills children, even compared with influenza, against which many children are already vaccinated.
Our data show that mortality for COVID-19 is similar to flu, or less severe, in children while being the opposite in adults.
A comparison of the US, UK, Italy, Spain, and Germany showed similar mortality rates. [2]
COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 in 0-9 years old
- USA – 0.03
- United Kingdom – 0.02
- Italy – 0.08
- Spain – 0.05
- Germany – 0.01
How bad is COVID-19 in children compared to other diseases?
Khera et al. found that COVID-19 is not deadlier than other diseases. [4]
Here, we found that the COVID-19 mortality rate is U-shaped in childhood: it initially decreases, reaching the minimum at 3-10 years, and then increases throughout life.
All-cause mortality and mortality from other diseases, such as pneumonia and influenza, show a similar pattern; however, childhood mortality rates from COVID-19 are considerably lower than from other diseases, with the best relative protection achieved at the youngest ages.
If you missed that, childhood COVID-19 death rates are much lower than other diseases! Where is the emergency?
Why do children have a lower tendency to get sick with COVID-19? What is common to all of them?
Viral Load and Sinuses Size
Research by Soria et al. showed that the viral load is the primary determinant of the severity of COVID-19. The amount of SARS-CoV-2 in the nasal cavity determines whether someone will have a severe COVID-19 or not. [6]. They said,
Here we report a statistically significant association between viral load and disease severity, a high viral load being associated with worse clinical prognosis, independently of several previously identified risk factors such as age, sex, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and lung disease (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
The viral load inside the nasal cavity and the sinuses determine the COVID-19 disease outcome. That’s because the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has to attach to the ACE2 receptors.
The ACE2 receptors line the inner surface of the nasal cavity and the sinuses. Once the SARS-CoV-2 attaches to the ACE2, it begins to multiply and spread all over the body.
There is less ACE2 gene expression in children [7], and the sinuses are not developed as in adults.[8]
On the other hand, male sex, obesity, diabetes, pollution, and age increase the nasal ACE2. [9]
Now we know that the small size of the sinuses is protective against COVID-19 in children.
What if the unvaccinated child develops COVID-19?
The FLCCC has a protocol called the I-MASK+ for preventing and early treatment of COVID-19.
On their FAQ page, They answered the question,
Can the I-MASK+ protocol be used in children? Is there a weight/age limit for the use of the protocol in children? The FLCCC response,
Children and teenagers usually have milder symptoms when they contract Covid-19.
Since the protocols use a multi-drug approach to prevent and combat the virus, we recommend that children only use the vitamins in the protocol.
If your child becomes very ill with Covid-19, you should immediately consult your child’s pediatrician and discuss the use of Ivermectin and the protocols with them.
How to lower the COVID-19 risk in children?
Rivas-Ruiz et al. looked at the factors associated with deaths among children with COVID-19 in Mexico. The risk factors are pneumonia, obesity, tobacco use, asthma, immunosuppression, and high cardiovascular risk. [11]
Proper diet and exercise reduce obesity, and quitting smoking will go a long way in preventing severe COVID-19. Early treatment can prevent pneumonia. Immunosuppression can be from cancer or medications and will most likely benefit from vaccination.
Knowledge about Covid-19 is rapidly evolving. Stay current by subscribing. Feel free to share and like.
Don’t Get Sick!
If you find value in the articles, consider a donation to show your support.
Related:
- Nasal Povidone-Iodine Works Great for the Prevention and Early Treatment of COVID-19!
- Asymptomatic or mild symptomatic COVID-19 elicits effective and long-lasting antibody responses in children and adolescents.
- The Absolute Risk Reduction of the Pfizer Biontech Booster Shot
- Durable Immunity from Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Lasts only Six Months
- UK Data shows more COVID-19 ER visits and Deaths Among the Vaccinated
- Five Mechanisms of Antibody-Dependent Enhancement
- CDC Report shows 25% Mortality in Breakthrough Cases
- How to Lower Viral Airborne Transmission Indoors
- UK Data shows more COVID-19 ER visits and Deaths Among the Vaccinated
- CDC reports an increase in Childhood Obesity during the Pandemic
References:
- American Academy of Pediatrics Children and COVID-19: State-Level Data Report
- Bhopal et al. Children’s mortality from COVID-19 compared with all-deaths and other relevant causes of death: epidemiological information for decision-making by parents, teachers, clinicians, and policymakers. Public Health. 2020;185:19-20. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2020.05.047
- Khera et al. COVID-19 mortality rate in children is U-shaped. Aging (Albany, NY). 2021 Aug 18;13(16):19954-19962. doi: 10.18632/aging.203442. Epub 2021 Aug 18. PMID: 34411000; PMCID: PMC8436910.
- Viner et al. Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Children and Adolescents Compared With Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis [published correction appears in JAMA Pediatr. 2021 Feb 1;175(2):212]. JAMA Pediatr. 2021;175(2):143-156. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.4573
- Soria et al. High SARS-CoV-2 viral load is associated with a worse clinical outcome of COVID-19 disease. Access Microbiol. 2021 Sep 21;3(9):000259. doi: 10.1099/acmi.0.000259. PMID: 34712904; PMCID: PMC8549390.
- Bunyavanich et al. Nasal gene expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in children and adults. Jama, 2020 – jamanetwork.com
- Bilinska et al. Expression of the SARS-CoV-2 entry proteins, ACE2 and TMPRSS2, in cells of the olfactory epithelium: identification of cell types and trends with age. ACS chemical …, 2020 – ACS Publications
- Baxter et al. Rapid initiation of nasal saline irrigation to reduce morbidity and mortality in COVID+ outpatients: a randomized clinical trial compared to a national dataset.
- Shedding of Infectious SARS-CoV-2 Despite Vaccination when the Delta Variant is Prevalent – Wisconsin, July 2021.
- Rivaz-Ruiz et al. Factors associated with death in children with COVID-19 in Mexico. Gac Med Mex. 2020; 156: 516-522. DOI: 10.24875 / GMM.M21000478
- Wu Z, McGoogan JM. Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China: Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA. 2020;323(13):1239–1242. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.2648
© 2018 – 2021 Asclepiades Medicine, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved
DrJesseSantiano.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.