Long Covid rarely hits kids

Most children take an average of six days to get well from Covid-19. — AFP

According to a British study, children very rarely experience what has come to be known as long Covid, where Covid-19 symptoms last several weeks, or even months.

The vast majority of young people take less than a week to recover.

Six days is the average time it takes a child to get well from Covid-19, according to findings from King’s College London.

The number of children still showing symptoms between four and eight weeks is “low”.

And only a very small percentage of children have been found to still have symptoms eight weeks after infection.

A total of 258,790 children aged five to 17 years participated in the study, which was published in the journal Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.

Data came from reports made by parents and caregivers via a mobile app.

Between Sept 1, 2020, and Jan 24 (2021), 1,734 youth reported a positive PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19 after experiencing symptoms.

Their health status was reported on and tracked until recovery.

On average, children aged 12 to 17 years took slightly longer to recover from Covid-19 – one week, compared to five days for those aged five to 11 years.

Of the 1,734 youth who tested positive, 4% had symptoms for four weeks or more, and 2% for more than eight weeks.

Eighty-four percent of children with long Covid reported feeling tired at least once during their recovery.

Two other symptoms were prominent: headaches, often reported early in the disease, and loss of smell, which appeared somewhat later.

“It is reassuring that the number of children experiencing long-lasting symptoms of Covid-19 symptoms is low.

“Nevertheless, a small number of children do experience long illness with Covid-19, and our study validates the experiences of these children and their families,” outlined study lead and senior author Professor Dr Emma Duncan.

“Our data highlights that other illnesses, such as colds and flu, can also have prolonged symptoms in children and it is important to consider this when planning for paediatric health services during the pandemic and beyond,” explains study senior author Dr Michael Absoud.

In his conclusions, the senior lecturer warns about the “prevalence of these illnesses” increasing with the loosening of preventative measures.

In case of doubts or symptoms, the scientists recommend consulting a general practitioner (GP). – AFP Relaxnews