English Researchers: "COVID-19 Infection in Children and Adolescents, Death Probability 0.01%"

COVID-19 Testing Site in Binyamina, Israel
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Choyoung] A study has found that children and adolescents under the age of 18 have an extremely low probability of suffering severe symptoms or dying even if they contract COVID-19.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 8th (local time), British researchers pre-published a study analyzing the probability of severe progression and death among children infected with COVID-19 by utilizing National Health Service (NHS) medical records and data from other countries. The study has not yet undergone independent expert review.

The researchers analyzed 469,982 individuals aged 18 or younger who were infected with COVID-19 in the England region from March 1 of last year to February 28 of this year, finding that 99.995% had no life-threatening issues. Among the 61 who died after testing positive for COVID-19, only 25 deaths were related to COVID-19.

The study confirmed that, similar to adults, children’s risk of death from COVID-19 increases if they have underlying health conditions. Of the 25 COVID-19-related deaths, 15 had underlying conditions, including 4 with chronic diseases and 3 with multisystem inflammatory syndrome.

However, the researchers noted that children suffering from brain, neurological, or respiratory diseases have a higher probability of dying from COVID-19. They also explained that those with diabetes, asthma, or cardiovascular diseases are more likely to be admitted to intensive care units.

This study was conducted before the spread of the Delta variant. The researchers stated that they have not yet found evidence that the variant increases the likelihood of severe illness or death among children.

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