mcalister and his colleagues found that two symptoms were the most common in kids with covid-19: cough (24.5 per cent), and runny nose (19.3 per cent). these symptoms, however, were also common among children who tested negative for the disease, and “were not predictive of a positive test.”
“of course, kids are at risk of contracting many different viruses, so the covid-specific symptoms are actually more things like loss of taste and smell, headache, fever, and nausea and vomiting, not runny nose, a cough and sore throat,” he said in the statement.
health canada says
that if your child does test positive for covid-19, or is believed to have contracted the virus, they should stay at home and not go to school or play with friends until they have recovered. the government agency advises family members to keep two metres distance, if possible, and not to share personal items like toothbrushes or towels, with sick kids.
“as far as we know, kids are less likely to spread disease than adults, but the risk is not zero,” mcalister said. “presumably asymptomatic spreaders are less contagious than the person sitting nearby who is sneezing all over you, but we don’t know that for sure.”
a recent article in science journal
nature
reported that evidence suggests about one in five people infected with covid-19 will experience no symptoms, and will spread the virus “to significantly fewer people than someone with symptoms.” still, the report points out that researchers remain divided about the role of asymptomatic carriers, and if they “are acting as a ‘silent driver’ of the pandemic.”