Study Finds Young Children Carry 100 Times More Coronavirus Than Adults

Children could be major vectors of coronavirus spread within the population, the study published in the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics indicates. In particular, researchers noted in children under 5 years old the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in quantities "10 to 100 times higher" compared to older children and adults.

The study was conducted in Chicago on a sample of 145 patients with a mild to moderate form of Covid-19. They underwent nasal swabs a week after the onset of their first symptoms. The sample includes 46 children under five, 51 children aged 5 to 17, and 48 adults aged 18 to 65.

Based on these figures, the researchers estimate that "young children can potentially be important vectors of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the population".