Covid-19: are children really the source of the majority of contaminations? – Yahoo News

While the numbers of the Covid-19 epidemic are increasing, the government has raised the level of health protocol in schools and mentioned vaccination for children over 5 years old. Are the latter the vector of epidemic recovery?

New health protocol at school, vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 at risk and probably for all those in this age group in the coming days… the government has decided to take measures to combat the resumption of the Covid-19 epidemic in France. And if the school holidays have not been brought forward as some rumors mentioned, it is children and schools that worry the executive the most about the evolution of this 5th wave as the Christmas holidays approach.

While we believed them for a long time spared by the Covid-19 crisis because they are less contagious and less at risk of severe forms of the disease, children are today “the nucleus of viral circulation” declared Gilles Pialoux, chief of infectious diseases department at Tenon Hospital (AP-HP), guest on RTL. “We have absolutely startling levels of viral circulation and an absence of an obvious screening policy in the 6-9 year age group,” he added.

Comments confirmed by Professor Bruno Mégarbane, head of the intensive care unit at Lariboisière hospital (AP-HP), interviewed on CNews on Monday. “The age group of children aged 5 to 11 is where the epidemic is progressing the most.”

A very high incidence rate among primary school students

Looking at the data, we see that the incidence rate in children is considerably higher than in the general population. During the week of November 22, it was 312 cases per 100,000 inhabitants at the national level while it was 666 among students in primary school, that is to say in children aged 6 to 10 years , according to data from Public health France.

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Among the whole population, the highest incidence rate is found among 30-39 year olds where it reaches 422 followed by 0-9 year olds with a rate of 390.5 then 40-49 year olds (374.3). Age categories that can be interpreted as being adults and their children.

In its epidemiological bulletin for week 47 from 22 to 28 November, SPF underlines that “the strongest increases were observed in 0-9 year olds (389 + 85%) and 10-19 year olds (344, + 76%) “. If it seems obvious, according to these figures, that children are among the most affected by Covid-19, it must be taken into account that the number of screenings carried out relates particularly to schoolchildren, in particular to the age group of 6 in 10 years. According to Public Health France, 17,789 tests were carried out for 100,000 children aged 6 to 10 in the week of December 2, against 6,268 tests carried out per 100,000 inhabitants for the general population.

In addition, last July, the Scientific Council affirmed that “due to low vaccination coverage, children and adolescents [représentaient] about half of the infections when they represent only 22% of the population. “At that time, they were the source” of about half of the transmissions, “the organization added to demonstrate the usefulness of vaccinating minors against Covid-19.

VIDEO – France: new measures against Covid also concern children