A new study in the US reveals that children and adolescents are twice as likely to develop long -term Covid (long covid) after a second infection, compared to the first.
The study published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases, which covers over 465,000 children and adolescents, shows that the risk of severe symptoms of prolonged Covid disease is significantly increased with the second infection.
Among the most common diseases associated with Long Covid in young people, myocarditis occurs as the most common and risk tripled after the second infection.
Children are at twice the risk of blood clots, and other conditions, such as kidney damage, heart rate abnormalities, headaches, abdominal pain and excellent fatigue.
Interestingly, this increased risk is detected independently of age, gender, nationality, even if the child is overweight or obese.
Experts point out that this finding confirms the need for increased attention to prevention, with vaccination and adherence to protective measures, such as the use of mask and social distancing.
The study was conducted in the framework of the “Recover” initiative and is funded by the US NIH.
40 Pediatric Hospitals and Research Institutions participate, and the analysis covers data from January 2022 to October 2023, when the OMIKRON variant was dominated.
The aim is to further investigate the risk due to newer variants and monitor the long -term effects of young people for the future.