Pediatric Infection and Vaccine

The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (대한소아감염학회)
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Clinical Manifestations, Epidemiologic Characteristics, and Disease Burden of the Coronavirus Disease-19 in Children Ages 5-11 Years Old

  • Kang, Hyun Mi (Department of Pediatrics, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Park, Ji Young (Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University Hospital, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University) ;
  • Choe, Young June (Department of Pediatrics, Korea University Anam Hospital, College of Medicine, Korea University)
  • Received : 2022.04.16
  • Accepted : 2022.08.25
  • Published : 2022.08.25
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Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been a global pandemic for over 2 years. During the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant-predominant period in South Korea, confirmed cases among children and adolescents surged. This review found that, although younger children may be less susceptible to COVID-19 than adolescents, more research is needed on the role of children and adolescents in the disease's spread. Detailed epidemiological information about the transmissibility of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strain in children and adolescents is currently scarce, and more research is needed on the role of children and adolescents in disease's spread. There may be a difference in the proportion of cases with severe disease requiring hospitalization depending on the dominant mutant strain; however, COVID-19 generally presents with a mild-to-moderate course in children aged 5-11 years old.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This study was supported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Policy Research Grant 2021-10-033.

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