Children and spread of COVID: what does the data say?

[miimblemomble]

Where I live (France) the gift has, up till now, taken a very firm line that younger children (10 and under) are significantly less likely to transmit COVID to either each other or a mask wearing adult.

Where did this belief come from? Is there any scientific consensus on it? I found one paper / report from the Institute Pasteur, looking at one primary school. Is that it?

My French colleague got quite short with my suggesting that there is no general scientific consensus on the above. But that’s try isn’t it? It’s a pragmatic decision that has been made to keep schools open, isn’t it?

Just wanted to be sure I’m not missing something. And it might be beside the point as all children over 6 now have to wear masks at school... which kind of makes my point I guess.

Gift = Govt = government

I think it's to do with the fact that younger children are less likely to be symptomatic and asymptomatic people are less likely to spread it? I also wonder if it's to do with just being shorter than adults so when they speak / sing etc any droplets aren't going in adults faces?
Just my theory

Also hardly any children have died of covid. Literally a hand full who all had pre existing conditions. You have to weight up miniscule risk of harm due to covid v safeguarding and falling behind educationally. Those with SEN who may get no support at home will already 6 months behind where they already were..

@MrPickles73

I totally agree with you, I’m 💯 for schools being open.

It’s more getting my head round the cognitive dissonance of having been told for months that the Conseil Scientifique / govt believes it’s perfectly safe for young children to be maskless, no distancing and in school full time, to now being told that they have to wear masks all the time... because they are in fact able to transmit Covid? I just wondered what the actual scientific consensus was on this.

Here is PHE data on cases in young people, it's clearly not primary schools that are the issue

Try following this paediatrician if you are on Twitter. Most of what he posts is quite accessible to non specialists and it's balanced in my view.

twitter.com/apsmunro/status/1321825955564920833?s=21

There are two things going on here:

1. children don’t get as sick and tend to be asymptomatic. Therefore people think they don’t get it and are not a risk to others.

2. Parents are understandably desperate for schools to be open, especially for younger children where it functions as childcare.

The real question is whether children mixing at school (the only place where large groups of people are now allowed to mix) is muddling the message about distancing and driving infection into other areas of the community.

If it comes down to living with daily lighter restrictions Or having all kids FT at school, I do wonder what we’ll have to choose.

This Australian epidemiologist has a particular interest in the role of children transmitting the virus
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.50823