The effects of coronavirus is worse on people over 65, and with co-morbidities. Some evidence suggests that children below 10 may also be at risk.
A condition called pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome, is increasingly found in children in the US in New York, California and Lousianna and in Europe in Italy, France and Switzerland - and some experts are suggesting it is linked to the COVID pandemic.
According to The New York Times, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be issuing an alert on the same soon.
A study in The Lancet compared the symptoms to a childhood illness called Kawasaki disease. “Kawasaki disease shock syndrome (KDSS) was defined by presence of circulatory dysfunction, and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS),” they wrote.
This is an acute condition that mostly affects children.
The study found that incidents of this new Kawasaki-like disease increased during the COVID-19 outbreak, as compared to cases in the last 5 years. None of the children sampled in the study died but they did have more severe symptoms, like heart complications, than those who only had Kawasaki disease earlier.
However, the number of cases was still small and COVID-19 is generally less harmful to children. Experts suggest that while COVID-19 affects the lungs directly, this inflammatory disease seems to be caused by a delayed response from the children's immune systems.
But again, it is too early to tell for sure, although it is best to talk to your doctor if you notice your child in any discomfort.
(With inputs from The New York Times)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)