How did COVID-19 severity in kids change as the pandemic progressed?

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-08-22 01:00

Australia; NSW; VIC; QLD; WA

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The severity of COVID-19 in children appears to have decreased over the course of the pandemics as the virus mutated, according to Australian and international researchers. The team looked at data from babies up to 17-year-olds who had been hospitalised around the world with COVID-19 and compared ICU admissions and the number of patients requiring ventilation over time. They say in all age groups, ICU admissions decreased across the pandemic, but the number of children younger than five requiring ventilation and oxygen support did not decrease.

Media release

From: JAMA

International Pediatric COVID-19 Severity Over the Course of the Pandemic

About The Study: This study including 31,000 hospitalized children with SARS-CoV-2 infection suggested that while intensive care unit admission decreased over the course of the pandemic in all age groups, ventilatory and oxygen support did not decrease over time in children younger than age 5. These findings highlight the importance of considering different pediatric age groups when assessing disease severity in COVID-19.

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Research JAMA, Web page The URL will go live after the embargo ends

Journal/
conference: JAMA Pediatrics

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: The University of Queensland, Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Sydney, Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), The University of Melbourne, Queensland University of Technology

Funder: See paper for funding

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