Covid-19 in children: vaccine, symptoms, isolation, tests, masks

Are cases of Covid-19 frequent in children?

Often asymptomatic or developing mild forms of the disease, children are less affected than adults by the epidemic of Covid-19. In August 2020, a European study estimated that the proportion of patients under the age of 18 was less than 5%. According to the latest epidemiological data from Public Health France for the week of May 24 to 30, “those aged 0-17 represented 24% of all new cases observed in the general population”. In detail and by school level, the incidence rate was “177/100,000 inhabitants among 15-17 year olds, 160 among 11-14 year olds, 128 among 6-10 year olds, 65 among 3-5 years and 33 among 0-2 year olds. Down everywhere.

In hospitals, children represent less than 1% of Covid patients. As of June 1, 43 children under the age of 15 were hospitalized, including 6 in intensive care. Since the start of the pandemic, 6 children have died in France from Covid-19. According to a recent study, children produce more antibodies against Covid-19 which would protect them from serious forms of the disease. On the other hand, they would be just as contaminated as adults.

Are children more contagious?

The debate, a corollary to the opening or closing of schools, is raging among experts. Children, at the beginning of the epidemic, were considered important vectors of the disease as they are for other seasonal viruses. Studies then challenged this hypothesis, claiming that the youngest have around 50% less risk of catching Sars-CoV-2 and therefore of infecting those around them.

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What might be true for the youngest is not true for the oldest who would transmit the virus in the same proportions as adults. According to the ComCor study conducted by the Institut Pasteur updated on March 1, 2021, “having a child in school represents an increased risk of infection for adults, especially those cared for by a childminder (+39%), and those who go to college (+27%) and high school (+29%). With one exception, however: having a child in primary school has not so far been associated with an increased risk of infection for adults living in the same household.

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Should children and adolescents be vaccinated?

As of June 15, adolescents over the age of 12 can be vaccinated. So decided the government shortly after the green light given by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to the vaccination of 12-15 year olds with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. Until then, only children with specific comorbidities were eligible. The injection is done on a voluntary basis, in a vaccination center and with the agreement of both parents.

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According to the opinion of the High Authority for Health (HAS) published on June 3, “vaccination of adolescents has individual and collective benefits”:

Individual benefits: vaccination prevents serious forms of the disease which, even rare, can nevertheless occur in children; it also makes it possible to limit the closing of classes and establishments and consequently the breaks in learning and the psychological damage.

The collective benefits: vaccinating the youngest protects their immunocompromised or vulnerable loved ones. But beyond protection, the vaccination of adolescents reduces the circulation of the virus and in the long term, would avoid “having to put in place restrictive control measures”.

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According to the HAS, the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is effective in adolescents and the safety data are satisfactory. The side effects are the same as for adults: pain at the injection site, headache, fatigue, fever, muscle aches.

Several countries have already started to vaccinate adolescents: Canada, the United States, Israel. In Europe, Italy and Germany have kicked off in recent days while Spain is considering it for the end of the holidays, before the start of the school year. China, meanwhile, is preparing to vaccinate children as young as 3 years old, according to the spokesperson for the Sinovac laboratory.

just a rant i didn't know how to write so yeah JDJSJ ALSO my accent isn't the best i know 😙

— anto Thu Jul 22 00:33:33 +0000 2021

Video - “Now I can go out without fear”: Israel opens its Covid-19 vaccination campaign to teenagers aged 12-16

What are the symptoms of Covid-19 in children?

In the majority of cases children are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms similar to those of adults: cough, fever, headache, abdominal pain. In the youngest, the loss of taste (ageusia) and smell (anosmia) is very rarely observed. If a child has symptoms suggestive of Covid-19, he should not go to the crèche or to his school. He can return there after seven days or if the parents certify in writing that they have consulted a doctor and that a test has not been prescribed.

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Should we be concerned about cases of Kawasaki disease-like syndromes (PIMS)?

Covid-19 in children is suspected of causing disorders similar to Kawasaki disease called pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndromes (or PIMS). Last spring, these cases caused a wave of concern. Appearing 4-5 weeks after infection, the inflammatory syndrome is manifested by gastrointestinal disorders, fever, rashes and finally damage to the cardiovascular system (tachycardia, myocarditis).

According to the Public Health France report of April 29, 501 cases have been reported in France since March 1^st, 2020 and more than three-quarters of the cases were or had been tested positive for Covid -19. A stay in intensive care was necessary for 215 children and in a critical care unit for 122 of them. A 9-year-old child died. These multi-systemic inflammatory syndromes remain rare. In France, the incidence of PIMS related to COVID-19 has been estimated at 29.9 cases per million inhabitants in the population under 18 years of age.

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If my child is positive for Covid, should I isolate myself?

For a child positive for Sars-Cov-2, the isolation time is the same as for an adult. It is ten days after the positive test or the onset of symptoms. If symptoms persist, stay isolated for two more days. For the parents of a sick or positive child, things get tougher. Obviously, it is impossible to totally isolate a young child within the family. People living in the household should test first to make sure they are not positive. Then, they must remain isolated seven more days after the ten days of isolation of the patient and repeat a test on D17. If it is negative, the isolation is over.

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The parents of a sick or positive child must therefore be absent or resort to teleworking for a minimum of 17 days. On the other hand, for older children, everything depends on the accommodation. If the teenager can benefit from strict confinement (closed room, taking meals alone in the room, with if possible a bathroom reserved for him or cleaned after use) then the members of the household must remain isolated for 7 days. after the last contact then carry out a test. If it is negative, the quarantine ends.

What should I do if my child is a contact case?

If a child is declared a contact case, he must be removed from nursery, school, college or high school. He must then comply with the rules established for contact cases: isolation for 7 days after the last contact. If he is at school or nursery, he can then return to his establishment without taking a test if he does not have symptoms. A middle school or high school student must ensure a negative test. For everyone, isolation is extended if the child is in contact with a family member who cannot benefit from strict confinement. It is then 17 days. A positive case in a class now results in the closure of the class for 7 days, according to the health protocol put in place at the start of the Spring holidays.

Should children do a nasopharyngeal PCR test or a saliva test?

The nasopharyngeal PCR test is unpleasant for everyone and painful for a toddler. It must remain exceptional for children under 6 years old and only be carried out if the child is in contact with a proven patient, if the symptoms persist for more than three days or if they worsen or if the child lives with fragile people. It is not possible to opt for a saliva test, reserved for massive screening operations in schools. Deployed since February 22, these tests deemed to be 85% reliable should allow children to go to class safely while avoiding the nasal swab. However, parental consent is required. They should be extended in the coming months to colleges, high schools and universities.

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Since May 10, high school students have access, with parental consent, to a self-test per week in their establishment with supervision by volunteer national education health personnel. The High Authority for Health (HAS) has also authorized antigenic tests and self-tests for children under 15. She recommends, however, that they be carried out by parents or trained staff.

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Is the mask compulsory for children?

Children were exempted from it for a long time. But at the start of the school year in September, the mask was made compulsory at school for those over 11, an age lowered to 6 in November. Be careful in other enclosed public spaces, the street, transport, the minimum age is 11 years old. Since February, schools have required a category 1 mask.

Is wearing a mask dangerous for children?

While many parents have not been reluctant to impose it on their children, or even to anticipate legal obligations, others are concerned about the effects of wearing a mask on children: breathing difficulties, learning disabilities, psychological disorders. Regarding the health effects, experts refute any risk. No more than for adults, the mask cannot cause respiratory problems in children. According to the National Institute for Health and Medical Research (Inserm) “these protections are developed in such a way as to allow oxygen to pass through the body. The risk of CO2 poisoning is in no way proven. The main risk is that the child wears the mask incorrectly, touches it, compromising its effectiveness.

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Attention is also paid to the impact of wearing a mask by adults working with children, in particular on learning to read. The teachers still lack hindsight but want to be reassuring. Gestures and mime make up for the impossibility of observing the movements of the mouth. For the little ones, in nursery in particular, experts fear a delay in the acquisition of language and sociability. A concern that psychiatrist Antoine Guedeney interviewed by Le Figaro put into perspective on March 8: “Children, extraordinarily adaptable, are experts in interaction. They also decode tone, hand gestures and body language. The important thing is to stay in touch with them, not to put them aside in this time of stress.

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