Children Can Get Severe COVID-19, CDC Says — Esp. Black, Hispanic Kids

"While most children who catch the coronavirus have either no symptoms or mild ones, they are still at risk of developing "severe" symptoms requiring admission to an intensive care unit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a new report released Friday."

Hispanic and Black children in particular were much more likely to require hospitalization for COVID-19, with Hispanic children about eight times as likely as white children to be hospitalized, while Black children were five times as likely.

Despite persistent rumors that children are "almost immune" from the virus, the analysis of 576 children hospitalized for the virus across 14 states found that one out of three was admitted to the ICU — similar to the rate among adults. Almost 1 in 5 of those were infants younger than 3 months. The most common symptoms included fever and chills, inability to eat, nausea and vomiting."

Matthew S. Schwartz reports for NPR August 8, 2020.

SEE ALSO:

"Study: Coronavirus Cases In Children Rise Sharply In The Second Half Of July, With More Than 97,000 Infections" (Washington Post)

"Children And The Virus: As Schools Reopen, Much Remains Unknown About The Risk To Kids And The Peril They Pose To Others" (Washington Post)

"There Has Been A 90% Increase In Covid-19 Cases In Us Children In The Last Four Weeks, Report Says" (CNN)

"Confirmed Coronavirus Cases in U.S. Children Rose By 90% in About Four Weeks This Summer, Bringing the Total to Over 380,000" (TIME)