COVID-19 complications in kids a greater health burden than the flu

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-02-22 03:00

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Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a condition that can develop as a result of COVID-19, is more severe and therefore as great a health burden as previous flu outbreaks in children have been, according to US research. The study compared the outcomes of children hospitalised with COVID-19 and MIS-C with Influenza and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) data from 2017 before COVID-19 pandemic measures lowered the rates of these diseases. The researchers say MIS-C had the highest rates of heart, blood, kidney and gastrointestinal complications and the longest median hospital stay, while RSV had the highest respiratory complications and flu the most musculoskeletal complications. While they say flu was more common in 2017 than MIS-C is now, the researchers say the increased severity means the condition combined with other COVID-19 complications in children is placing just as much pressure on the US health system.