Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study: COVID Largely Spares Kids, Yet Is More Severe In Children Of Color
Philadelphia Inquirer: CHOP-Led Study Confirms COVID-19 Is Rare In Kids, But More Severe Among Children Of Color
A huge study of pediatric patients across the country found only 4% of those tested were infected with the new coronavirus, and the vast majority of those cases were mild or asymptomatic. The study, led by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, quantifies and confirms — but doesn’t attempt to explain — one of the biggest mysteries of the pandemic: Why an infection that has so far killed more than 1.3 million people worldwide is uncommon and mostly harmless in children. (McCullough, 11/23)
CIDRAP: Kids' COVID Cases On The Rise, But Most Are Mild, New Data Show
While the proportion of COVID-19 cases in children has tripled or quadrupled since the start of the pandemic, it remains below their proportion of the US population, and hospitalizations and deaths are uncommon—although racial minorities and those with public insurance and underlying conditions appear to be at higher risk for serious outcomes, according to two new studies. (Van Beusekom, 11/23)
In other science and research news about the coronavirus —
The Wall Street Journal: Damaged Sense Of Smell In Covid Patients Holds Clues To How Recovery Might Work
Scientists are uncovering clues to explain how the coronavirus attacks the nervous system by studying a bizarre side effect of the infection that distorts sufferers’ sense of smell for months on end. Since the pandemic began, doctors have puzzled over why the coronavirus causes as many as 80% of patients to experience anosmia, a temporary loss of smell. (Whelan, 11/23)
CIDRAP: Lung Capacity Issues, Severe Health Problems In COVID-19 Survivors
A Dutch study late last week found reduced lung capacity in 42% of COVID-19 patients 3 months after recovery, with many patients reporting severe problems with fatigue, functional impairment, and quality of life (QoL). Researchers reporting in Clinical Infectious Disease administered a comprehensive health assessment to 124 recovering COVID-19 patients who had either been admitted to a Netherlands hospital or were referred by physicians for symptoms lasting more than 6 weeks from Apr 23 to Jul 15. Assessments included lung function, walking, and body composition tests, chest computed tomography (CT)/x-ray, and questionnaires on mental, cognitive, health status, and QoL. The median age of patients was 59 years and 60% of patients were male. (11/23)
CIDRAP: Poor Outcomes For COVID-19 Patients With Bloodstream Infections
A second study in Clinical Infectious Disease late last week detailed poor outcomes for hospitalized COVID-19 patients with secondary bloodstream infections (sBSI). COVID-19 patients with sBSI had greater initial disease severity, longer hospital stays, and a 53.1% in-hospital mortality rate. Limited data suggest higher rates of sBSI—common in patients with flu and other viral respiratory illnesses—in severe COVID-19 patients, perhaps linked to immune dysregulation. (11/23)
