/ Sura Nualpradid, stock.adobe.com
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New York – Children apparently develop COVID-19 relatively rarely when infected with the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. After the experience of a large clinic in an epicenter of the current pandemic in JAMA Oncology (2020; DOI: 10.1001 / jamaoncol.2020.2028) this also applies to children with cancer.
Cancer patients are at risk for severe COVID-19 diseases. At the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, which is located in Manhattan and is the site with the most SARS-CoV-2 infections in the United States, patients are tested for symptoms of COVID-19. The parents (or other legal guardians) are also tested on the children.
According to a team led by Andrew Kung, 17 of 58 children (29.3%) who showed symptoms of COVID-19 were infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, most of the children were only slightly ill and could be treated on an outpatient basis. Only one child had to be hospitalized for COVID-19. However, according to Kung, it was not in critical condition.
Of 120 children who showed no symptoms of COVID-19, only 3 (2.5%) tested positive for the virus. This was surprising because the infection rate in the parents was 17.6%. Apparently children, even if they have cancer, have a lower risk of infection.
Although the parents are the closest contact person for the children and the children’s immune system is weakened as a result of the disease or treatment, it appears that infection is relatively rare and disease is even less common. © rme / aerzteblatt.de
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