Reinfection with COVID-19 can double the risk of long-term complications in children – study
Kyiv • UNN
A large-scale study has shown that repeated COVID-19 infection significantly increases the risk of long-term consequences in children. After the first infection, long COVID was recorded in 904 children per million, and after reinfection, this figure rose to 1884 children per million.
Children who have had coronavirus a second time have a significantly higher risk of developing long-term consequences, known as "long COVID." This is evidenced by a large-scale study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, reported by Medical Xpress, writes UNN.
Details
As part of the RECOVER initiative, scientists analyzed electronic medical records of more than 460,000 children and adolescents in 40 pediatric hospitals in the United States. The study covered the period from January 2022 to October 2023, when the Omicron strain dominated the world.
The results showed that after the first COVID-19 infection, a prolonged course was recorded in approximately 904 children per million. But after re-infection, this figure more than doubled – to 1884 children per million.
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Experts emphasize that re-infection can cause a wide range of dangerous complications – from myocarditis and thrombosis to problems with kidneys, breathing, cognitive functions, and constant fatigue.
Our data emphasize that re-infection with COVID-19 is not safe and can lead to persistent health problems in children. This once again proves the importance of vaccination and preventive measures.
They emphasized that despite limited effectiveness in preventing all cases of infection, vaccination remains the most reliable way to reduce the risks of both primary infection and re-infection, as well as to minimize the likelihood of developing long COVID in children.