Kids coming to Emergency with COVID-19 have a 3% risk of severe disease

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-01-12 03:00

Australia; International; WA

Around three per cent of kids who go to a hospital emergency department with COVID-19 will end up having severe symptoms, although the rate is lower among those sent straight home, according to an international study that includes Australian data. Kids at higher risk of worse outcomes include those aged over five, those with underlying chronic illness, previous episodes of pneumonia, and those whose symptoms started four to seven days prior to coming to hospital.

Media release

From: JAMA

Outcomes of SARS-CoV-2–Positive Youths Tested in Emergency Departments

JAMA Network Open
Original Investigation

About JAMA Network Open: JAMA Network Open is the new online-only open access general medical journal from the JAMA Network. On weekdays, the journal publishes peer-reviewed clinical research and commentary in more than 40 medical and health subject areas. Every article is free online from the day of publication.

What The Study Did: Researchers estimated the proportion of children and teens who experienced severe outcomes within 14 days of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 in emergency departments and the associated risk factors.

Authors: Stephen B. Freedman, M.D.C.M., M.Sc., of the University of Calgary in Canada, is the corresponding author.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: The University of Western Australia, University of Calgary, Canada

Funder: This study was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Operating Grant: COVID-19 – Clinical management), Alberta Innovates, the Alberta Health Services – University of Calgary – Clinical Research Fund, the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, the COVID-19 Research Accelerator Funding Track (CRAFT) Program at the University of California, Davis, and the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Division of Emergency Medicine Small Grants Program. Dr Funk was supported by the University of Calgary Eyes-High Post-Doctoral Research Fund. Dr Freedman was supported by the Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation Professorship in Child Health andWellness.

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