Children can carry omicron COVID strain without health consequences: study

Most children carry the COVID-19 omicron strain, without there being any health consequences as per a recent study. The variant, which has been described as mild, has seen a significant number of infections among children. 

Deputy Director for Clinical Research of the Russian Gabrichevsky Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology Tatyana Ruzhentsova, spoke to the TASS news agency saying, “we have only preliminary data so far. It is currently impossible to estimate the frequency of complications in kids”. She added “most children do not have any consequences after being infected with Omicron”. 

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However, as per Ruzhentsova some infected young patients have shown headaches, fatigue, and a slight rise in temperature. She said, “Such children should be under medical supervision, generally [under supervision of] a local pediatrician. If necessary, (they) should get an additional examination”.

Elsewhere, the report noted that the omicron strain results in milder post-COVID symptoms than the Delta variant. 

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The Case Western Reserve University conducted a study, which considered the health records of 80,000 kids, finding the hospitalization rate during omicron to be 1%. Meanwhile, during Delta, it was 3%. However, since the omicron variant has infected a larger number of kids, the 1% translates to a higher actual number. 

While long COVID symptoms are rare in children, the Guardian reported that some children across the US have shown symptoms ranging from stomach pains and headaches to dizziness, mood changes and brain fog, a long time after the initial infection occurs.

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A report from Italy seems to back this up, as per the IANS. It shows that out of 129 kids who tested positive for the coronavirus, 43% experienced at least one symptom over 60 days after the initial infection.

Medical experts in most countries are of the opinion that effective vaccination has kept the omicron severity on the lower side. With large sections of the adult population already vaccinated, there is renewed drive in ensuring that all children receive the vaccine doses at an appropriate time as well.