WE KNOW that for children Covid 19 it is not a particularly dangerous disease. In fact, they tend to get sick more rarely than adults, and to develop mild symptoms in almost all cases. But what about the parents? In fact, they are the ones who worry the health authorities: an infected child can in fact turn into a unaware transmission vehicle, giving rise to domestic outbreaks in which the health of parents, uncles and grandparents can be at risk.
But how real are the dangers? A new study of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine tried to answer the question by analyzing how many adults living with children were hospitalized or lost their lives in the UK during the first two waves of the pandemic.
Covid: identikit of children who neutralize the virus
by Irma D’Aria
The study, published on the pages of British Medical Journal, involved over 12 million British adults, matching the data on their state of health recorded by family doctors with information on admissions, access to intensive care and deaths from hospitals. Participants were divided into two groups, one in which the analysis was carried out by looking at the first epidemic wave (February-August 2020) and one in which the analysis concerned the second wave (September-December 2020). For each of the participants, possible risk factors were noted (smoking, obesity, sex, age) and whether or not they lived with children.
Covid, because the British are not afraid of AstraZeneca
by Enrico Franceschini
The analysis of the data has therefore made it possible to evaluate how the presence of minors in the family unit has increased, or not, the probability of getting sick Covid 19. Regarding the first wave, no additional risk emerged either for the parents under 65 nor for grandparents (or elderly parents) over 65. A result that we can define as expected, given that in those months almost all the schools of the UK remained closed due to the pandemic.
Covid: if you have children you run some (small) more risk of getting sick
by Simone Valesini
During the second epidemic wave, during which many schools remained open, the situation turned out to be slightly different. The risk of getting an infection with Sars-Cov-2 it was in fact higher in adults under 65 with children than in the general population, but in a rather contained way, with just 50-70 more cases per 10,000 people for parents of children aged 0 to 11, and 160-190 more cases those with children aged 12 to 18.
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by Elena Bozzola
The risk of hospitalization, on the other hand, was almost identical to that of the general population, with an average of one more case per 10,000 people for parents with children under 11, and about 2-6 more cases for those with adolescent children. Finally, the risk of death for parents was the same as for the general population during both epidemic waves, even slightly lower in the case of those with children under 11. For children over 65finally, there was a slightly higher risk of contracting the virus in the second epidemic wave in case of cohabitation with minors, no more risk of hospitalization, and an increased risk of hospitalization in intensive care and death (80 and 40% more , respectively).
Covid, we are expanding families to bring children together
by Priscilla Di Thiene
What lesson can be drawn from the study results? English schools remained open during the second pandemic wave, and there was an increased risk of contracting the virus and developing Covid 19 for adults living with children and adolescents. However, the increase is extremely small, if not for people over 65 years of age. According to the authors of the study, these are data that will be useful for decision makers in case of new lockdowns in the coming months, even if the exact interpretation is not easy, and careful monitoring will also be needed in the future to obtain more reliable data on the role. schools, and children, in spreading the epidemic.
Covid, if fear of the needle prevents vaccination
by Fiammetta Cupellaro
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