Long Covid and multisystem inflammatory syndrome
Initially it was thought that Covid-19 did not concern children, who were mostly considered immune or at least asymptomatic, certainly not affected by severe forms of the virus. Over time, however, the effects of the pandemic have been observed on the smallest, such as Long Covid and multisystem inflammatory syndrome.
In this article
- Covid in children
- What is meant by Long Covid
- Vaccinating children against Covid
Covid in children
Although it remains true that most children remain asymptomatic or develop very mild symptoms, it has now been established that many of them carry adverse consequences. long term virus infection. With the arrival of the variants, then, it is the segment of the population that is suffering the most from contagion, also thanks to the lack of a vaccine, until recently, for the age group under 12 years.
Long Covid and children
When we talk about Long Covid, we therefore mean an extension over time of the consequences of the disease. It does not mean staying positive for longer, but developing serious diseases such as Mis-C, the multisystem inflammatory syndrome. To declare it is the professor alberto mantovani, scientific director of the Humanitas Clinical Institute, which has made a fundamental contribution to immunological research in various fields.
According to Mantovani, in Del Paese there have been many children who have developed one severe illness such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome due to Covid. Many have ended up in intensive care, and the risk of myocarditis remains, more frequent in boys of the male gender. There myocarditis, generally, it resolves quickly and without consequences, but in the case of that from Covid, according to the professor, this is not the case.
What is Long Covid
To better understand what Long Covid is, we recommend that you listen to this podcast, created in collaboration with the San Donato Group. What are the long-term consequences of Covid, once we are negativized?
In particular, the thoracic surgeon Luigi Santambrogio, one of the specialists who studies the effects of Long Covid, intervenes.
Vaccinating children against Covid
It is therefore important, according to experts, to start vaccinating children of 5-11 years old as already done for older children. This is not an experimental vaccine: the technology is the same as the mRNA vaccines used for adults, therefore Pfizer and Moderna, only with a dose three times lower. After the approval of the EMA, the AIFA, the Agenzia Del Paesena del Farmaco, and the vaccination could start as early as December 16, 2022.
It is good to remember that, although vaccination is also recommended for children in order to preserve their health, limit the use of distance learning and swabs, minor 12 years they will continue not to have the obligation of the Green Pass, not even to go to the restaurant, do sports or take the means.
It is important not to underestimate the long-term consequences of Covid: the medical world agrees that even if the symptoms are not particularly important, many subjects can suffer even important effects of the infections. In particular, children are prone to myocarditis and multisystem inflammatory syndrome, which is why it is important to preserve their health by vaccinating them.
TAG:
- coronavirus
