It has been known that children are not as susceptible to COVID-19 as adults, or that even if they are infected, they are less likely to spread to others.Analyses have shown that the variant coronavirus that is spreading in the UK is as easily infected by children as adults.
According to Reuters, scientists from the advisory group analyzing the coronavirus strain in the UK said the new strain has become the dominant virus species in the southern part of the UK, and the trend is expected to spread across the UK soon.
"There are signs that this strain is more prone to infecting children," said Neil Ferguson, a professor at Imperial College. "The causal relationship has not been identified, but the data shows that."
Wendy Barclay, a professor of virology at Imperial College, said one of the changes in the new strain is in the way it penetrates human cells. "Perhaps children are more susceptible to the virus as adults are."
"It is expected that more children will be infected in the future," he said.
Earlier, the British government decided to block the capital city of London and the southern regions after the outbreak of the corona19 variant virus, which is up to 70% more infectious.