Children and COVID-19: Transmission and Clinical Presentation

Abstract

Children and adolescents have mostly milder or asymptomatic disease and are much less affected by severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) than adults. Severe acute disease and paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome remains rare, and morbidity and mortality are extremely uncommon. However, mental health and social impact can be huge. School transmissions are not yet clearly understood but seem to reflect the level of the transmission in the community. As COVID-19 becomes a well-known condition and given the high vaccination rates, it is now important to rethink restrictions imposed on children and young people’s education.