Next Week's School Return... Will Children Be Safe from COVID-19?

On the 3rd, amid growing concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection, Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, handed out masks to students attending school at Bongeun Elementary School in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and sprayed hand sanitizer on them. Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Junho] Starting next Wednesday (the 13th), the school closure orders imposed due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) will be lifted, beginning with high school seniors. But are children truly safe?

In conclusion, the scientific community has yet to provide a definitive answer. From a statistical perspective, the number of infected children is very low compared to adults. Based on this, claims have been made that children have weaker COVID-19 transmission power and are less easily infected than adults. However, analyses suggest that COVID-19 is vulnerable to everyone, regardless of age.

Children are Strong Against COVID-19

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The international academic journal Nature gathered expert opinions on the impact of children returning to school on the spread of COVID-19 worldwide, including in South Korea. These opinions are divided into two: those who argue that "children are stronger against COVID-19 than adults" and those who disagree.

Those who claim that children show stronger resistance to COVID-19 than adults say that children are less easily infected, have weaker ability to transmit the virus to others, and exhibit milder symptoms. The basis for this claim is infection statistics. In countries such as the United States, China, and Italy, the proportion of infected children under 18 does not exceed 2%. A French researcher studied a 9-year-old child in Switzerland who, despite being infected with COVID-19, visited three schools and took ski lessons, yet no infections were reported among those who were with the child.

Alasdair Munro, a pediatric infectious disease researcher at the University Hospital Southampton in the UK, stated, "Considering the infection rates in schools where students have returned, evidence is gradually accumulating that children are stronger against COVID-19 than adults."

COVID-19 is Threatening to Everyone

On the 6th, when "distancing in daily life" began, commuters were walking near Gwanghwamun Intersection in Seoul. From this day, the operation of various facilities that had been closed due to COVID-19 resumed, and events and gatherings were also allowed. However, "distancing in daily life" does not mean a complete return to the previous normal or the end of COVID-19. The health authorities emphasized basic personal quarantine rules such as ▶ staying home for 3 to 4 days if sick ▶ maintaining a healthy distance of two arm lengths./Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

Those who argue that COVID-19 is threatening to everyone, regardless of age, point out errors in confirmed case statistics. They note that children have smaller activity ranges and fewer opportunities to be exposed to COVID-19 compared to adults, and that mild symptoms in infected children may have led to underdiagnosis.

A preprint by a researcher from Shenzhen, China, published in the academic journal The Lancet on the 27th of last month, reported that children under 10 years old are as vulnerable to infection as adults but exhibit milder symptoms. The study investigated 391 confirmed cases and 1,286 contacts.

Gary Wong, a pediatric respiratory medicine researcher at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, stated, "There is no scientific evidence that children are less vulnerable to infection than adults."

Although opinions on COVID-19 differ, students in South Korea and other countries will begin returning to school next week. Scientists advise that a thorough response system is necessary. Gary Wong stated, "It is reasonable to decide on school reopening only after establishing a thorough diagnostic and quarantine system."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.