London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 20, 2025

Covid-19’s an adult disease: Children at ‘tiny’ risk of acute coronavirus, UK academics claim

Covid-19’s an adult disease: Children at ‘tiny’ risk of acute coronavirus, UK academics claim

The chances that children infected by Covid-19 could die are slim, as underage patients’ symptoms are markedly less acute than in those across other age groups, a promising study has suggested.
The research published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) involved a cohort of children aged 19 or under who had tested positive for coronavirus and been hospitalized between January and July of this year.

Of the 651 underage cases reviewed across England, Scotland, and Wales, only 18 percent required intensive care, the authors report. Six children – about 1 percent of the total cluster – had died, but they suffered from cardiac anomaly and bacterial sepsis, or were immunosuppressed by chemotherapy that hindered the coronavirus treatment.

Eighty-nine percent of the cohort were eventually discharged from hospital and the remaining 10 percent were undergoing treatment at the time of publication. “Children and young people have less severe acute Covid-19 than adults,” the researchers concluded.

They listed the most common coronavirus symptoms in children admitted to hospital, among them fever, cough, shortness of breath, nausea, and vomiting. Others complained about stomach pain, headache, and a sore throat.

The news will be particularly reassuring for parents wary of sending their children back to school after the summer holiday, or allowing them to leave the home. “It’s vanishingly rare to have severe disease in children,” said Professor Calum Semple, professor of child health and outbreak medicine at the University of Liverpool, and the study’s co-author.

Notably, researchers found that being obese or black increases the risk of acute coronavirus, but to less of an extent than previously thought. “If you’re a black parent in Glasgow or London, your kids should still go back to school,” Semple assured.

Questions about child transmission have been raised over the past weeks and months, and the BMJ study seems to reinforce a hypothesis that Covid-19 symptoms are less severe in children. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control suggests children “are much less likely to be hospitalized or have fatal outcomes than adults.”

“Those that do get sick tend to experience milder symptoms such as low-grade fever, fatigue, and cough,” adds Harvard Medical School. Some minors have had severe complications, “but this has been less common,” it clarified.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
Nationwide 'No Kings' Protests Challenge Trump's Leadership
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Germany Holds First Veterans Celebration Since WWII
U.S. Health Secretary Dismisses CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
×