Swiss researchers are still unclear to what extent children can spread the coronavirus, according to Tuesday’s report, but a new study shows that it can transmit as easily as infected adults.
The researchers said that when fewer children than adults signed a contract with Covid-19, the severe forms of the disease developed less and did not appear to be “the main driving forces of transmission”, but were transmitted to children of all ages.
“Despite the high rate of mild or asymptomatic infections, these should be considered donors unless otherwise proven,” researchers from the University of Geneva Hospitals and University of Geneva said.
In the survey, 23 children aged 7 to 16 were tested positive for Covid-19, and all but two carried the same amount of virus as adults.
“Our data show that the viral load at diagnosis is comparable to adults, and symptomatic children of all ages spread infectious viruses in early acute disease, which is a prerequisite for further transmission.”
However, children do not seem to spread the virus as adults do.
“Given the relatively low frequency of infected children, biological or other unknown factors can cause less contamination in this population, even in severely affected areas.”
They said that more research is needed to fully understand the role of children in spreading the virus.
The study had some limitations, including its small size and the use of virus samples from routine diagnostic tests.
The research was published in the journal of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
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