COVID 19 and Children

According to Harvard Medical School children, including very young children, can develop COVID-19. Kids who get infected with COVID 19 have mild to no symptoms. Milder symptoms include low-grade fever, fatigue, and cough. Some children have had severe complications, but this has been less common. Children with underlying health conditions may be at increased risk for severe illness.

COVID 19 Vaccine for children:

According to several news reports Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are already conducting age de-escalation studies, in which the vaccines are tested in groups of children of descending age. Johnson & Johnson plans to do the same. Currently, the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized for use in children 16 years and older, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are authorized for people 18 years and older. 

 

Center for Disease Control’s guidelines for opening schools safely:

The guidelines prioritize five key mitigation strategies, which, when layered together, should minimize the spread of COVID-19 in schools:

  • universal, correct use of masks that cover the mouth and nose

  • physical distancing

  • frequent hand washing

  • cleaning high-touch surfaces and maintaining healthy facilities

  • contact tracing, in combination with isolation and quarantine.

The CDC guidelines for physical distancing vary by school level and degree of community transmission, and they assume that everyone is masked. The CDC recommends at least 3 feet between students in elementary, middle, and high schools when community transmission is low or moderate. When transmission is high, students should be divided into separate groups (cohorts) that maintain 6 feet of distance from other cohorts throughout the day. The CDC also recommends a minimum of 6 feet between teachers and students at all times, and a minimum distance of 6 feet when masks are off, such as during lunch time.