This is one of the intrigues of this Covid-19. At the start of the pandemic, children had been presented as carriers and transmitters of the virus. Créteil infectiologist and pediatrician Robert Cohen, who has coordinated new recent tests, is trying to prove the contrary. According to the results of its study carried out with 27 pediatricians from Île-de-France - one of the regions most affected by the epidemic - involving 605 children between April 14 and May 12, only 0.6% d 'were infected with the coronavirus.
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Not only do little ones catch the disease less than adults, but they are two to five times less carriers of the virus than older ones. In addition, contrary to what has been believed for a long time, they are not "super propagators". Children are only responsible for one in ten clusters. Clearly, it is adults who contaminate children rather than the reverse.
Immunized with other coronaviruses
So how can we explain that they are more protected? Several explanations have been advanced by the infectiologist Robert Cohen. First, because they have less receptors for the virus in the nasal mucosa. Then, because they could be immunized by having crossed other coronaviruses.
"They always have a runny nose and would therefore be more resistant to infections," says Professor Cohen, referring to the traditional cold affecting the little ones. This is called cross immunity.
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Finally, they would be less contaminating thanks to their small sizes. Indeed, from their height of 1.50 m, their postilions would have difficulty reaching the faces of adults.