COVID-19 in children: I. Epidemiology, prevention and indirect impacts

Annaleise R Howard-Jones; Asha C Bowen; Margie Danchin; Archana Koirala; Ketaki Sharma; Daniel K Yeoh; David P Burgner; Nigel W Crawford; Emma Goeman; Paul E Gray; Peter Hsu; Stephanie Kuek; Brendan J McMullan; Shidan Tosif; Danielle Wurzel; Philip N Britton

doi:10.1111/jpc.15791

COVID-19 in children: I. Epidemiology, prevention and indirect impacts

J Paediatr Child Health. 2022 Jan;58(1):39-45. doi: 10.1111/jpc.15791. Epub 2021 Oct 13.

Authors

Annaleise R Howard-Jones^{1

2}, Asha C Bowen^{3

4}, Margie Danchin^{5

6

7}, Archana Koirala^{1

8

9}, Ketaki Sharma^{1

8}, Daniel K Yeoh^{3

10}, David P Burgner^{5

6

11}, Nigel W Crawford^{5

6

7}, Emma Goeman¹², Paul E Gray^{13

14}, Peter Hsu^{1

15}, Stephanie Kuek¹⁶, Brendan J McMullan^{13

14}, Shidan Tosif^{5

6

7}, Danielle Wurzel^{6

16

17}, Philip N Britton^{1

18}

Affiliations

¹ Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
² NSW Health Pathology-Nepean, Nepean Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
³ Department of Infectious Diseases, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
⁴ Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
⁵ Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁶ Infection and Immunity Theme, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁷ Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
⁸ National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
⁹ Department of Infectious Diseases, Nepean Hospital, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁰ Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹¹ Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹² Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹³ Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁴ School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁵ Department of Immunology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
¹⁶ Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹⁷ School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
¹⁸ Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Abstract

Children globally have been profoundly impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This review explores the direct and indirect public health impacts of COVID-19 on children. We discuss in detail the transmission dynamics, vaccination strategies and, importantly, the 'shadow pandemic', encompassing underappreciated indirect impacts of the pandemic on children. The indirect effects of COVID-19 will have a long-term impact beyond the immediate pandemic period. These include the mental health and wellbeing risks, disruption to family income and attendant stressors including increased family violence, delayed medical attention and the critical issue of prolonged loss of face-to-face learning in a normal school environment. Amplification of existing inequities and creation of new disadvantage are likely additional sequelae, with children from vulnerable families disproportionately affected. We emphasise the responsibility of paediatricians to advocate on behalf of this vulnerable group to ensure the longer-term effects of COVID-19 public health responses on the health and wellbeing of children are fully considered.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; educational impact; school-based transmission; vaccination.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19*
Child
Domestic Violence*
Humans
Mental Health
Pandemics
SARS-CoV-2