Back to school: how to erase fear?

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Last Monday was back to school. The virus has also taken its satchel, since several schools have had to close their doors after cases were detected. Since then, it is uncertainty. Parents are worried about their children. But then what about “l’impactOf the virus on the little ones? Overview, just not to stay on the sidelines.

Since the start of the pandemic, when the virus had already taken the planet by storm, the issue of child protection has always been at the heart of concerns. Are they less at risk? How many have been infected? Should they be vaccinated?

The first case

The first case of a child’s infection was recorded in South Korea on February 18, 2020. It was a 10-year-old girl. His uncle, who worked in Wuhan, returned home in January and, while he had to respect a period of self-isolation, he ate his meals with the family. The uncle had tested positive on February 5 and the girl began to develop symptoms 13 days later. Despite a low fever and mild pneumonia, she did not receive antiviral treatment.

Several other studies, dating back to the prevarious era, have shown that children accounted for an average of 1% to 2% of the total number of cases, while other respiratory diseases affected children more severely. Another medical paper, published in June 2020 and which took into account data from 19 studies, concluded that out of 2,855 infected children and adolescents, 79% had mild symptoms; and 4% of severe disorders. Transmission between children was also very minimal.

The low rate of infection was explained by the sanitary measures in force internationally. The physical distancing and the closing of nurseries, schools and businesses had meant that the children did not go out. In addition, in almost all cases the infection of the children was linked to the family. In England, a study on the first 12 months of the pandemic, when the variants were already present, showed that 65 minors who tested positive had died. The deaths of 25 of them were directly linked to Covid-19. 15 had co-morbidities and six had no known disease.

Solicited, Dr. Catherine Gaud, immunologist, confirms that children are less at risk because they have fewer receptors that allow viruses to attach to cells of the body, until about the age of 12 years. Teenagers have as many risks as adults. However, the situation keeps changing. With the spread of the virus and the appearance of variants, contaminations of children increase.

For example, last May 22% of cases in the United States involved children. In India and Brazil, cases are also on the rise. As of April 16, 2,216 children have died from Covid-19 in Brazil, including 1,397 under a year old. 67,000 others were hospitalized. In India, reported cases in children are also on the rise. Several factors have been put forward to explain this increase. “During the first wave, it was defined that children had fewer receptors. But with the second wave, the variant seems to have other entry points into the system ”, Pediatrician Dr Srikanta JT explained to the media. Then, the increase was noted in countries where the vaccination rate is low. With the gradual return to normalcy, more and more adults are infected, which in turn explains transmission to children.

Le long covid

Curing infected patients is not the end of the story. Several patients of all ages have reported persistent symptoms after clearing the virus from their system. Fatigue, lack of breathing, changes in the perception of taste and smell, depression and a foggy head are some of the symptoms that persist even six months after recovery. On average, across all countries, more than 50% of patients reported symptoms of long Covid that lasted until at least three months after recovery. “Teens are more likely to have it than adults ”, specifies Dr Gaud.

Last March, a study of 510 children with an average age of 10.3 years revealed the impact of these lingering symptoms. Most had at least one sequela eight months after recovery. 87.1% complained of fatigue and loss of strength; 68.4% muscle pain; and 48% dizziness. Other post-healing symptoms are joint pain, redness, headache, abdominal cramps, and irritability. 484 children (94.9%) presented at least four of these symptoms.

After recovery, only 10% of children returned to a pre-infection level of physical activity. Among those who played sports on a daily basis, only 17, or 11.8%, were able to return to their previous level. As for mental faculties, 64 subjects of the study (28.7%) confirm having recovered their capacities before the disease. Others still have difficulty understanding information, concentrating, or performing routine work.

Researches

Since the start of the pandemic, in parallel with vaccines, the race to find other remedies has been launched. No, it’s not about injecting bleach or other misuse of existing drugs, but scientific research. Several pharmaceutical companies have claimed that their nasal sprays can limit infections and transmission of Covid-19. However, no data is yet advanced, although some of these products are already on sale. Studies are still ongoing, and the latest in development is from the University of Texas, where rat studies are conclusive. Since the respiratory tract is the virus’s preferred place to enter the system, nasal sprays have been a preferred option from the start. Then there are more vaccines, and not just a few. At this time, eight have been approved for full use; nine authorized in some countries while 32 are in phase 3; 37 others in phase 2; and 52 in the first phase.