[ad_1]
The statements of Daniel Koch (65) of the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) were a ray of hope for all the grandparents. “It is the case that children are virtually uninfected and, above all, do not transmit the virus,” Koch said Monday. Therefore, a little hug from the grandchildren is not a problem.
But soon after, Koch’s statements flew around his ears. Because it is not clear to science if children are not really contagious.
The same virus load for children and adults.
Now Koch’s critics are getting a boost: German star virologist Christian Drosten (48) has conducted a fast-paced study of more than 3,700 infected people, testing the viral load in children and adults.
Drosten shares his results on Twitter and comments seriously. “There is no significant difference between children and adults.” In other words, children can transmit the virus just like adults, with the difference that symptoms in children are less pronounced or non-existent.
If you read the part of the study result, the scientists become clearer. There are still arguments in favor of children infecting other people less, for example, that children often have no symptoms and therefore less cough. But: “Due to the lack of statistical evidence for a different viral load profile in children, found in this study, we have to warn against the unlimited reopening of schools and kindergartens in the current situation.”
Schools will reopen on May 11
This warning comes too late, at least for Switzerland. Elementary and secondary schools will reopen on May 11. With protection concepts, but only with minimum requirements: general rules of distance are provided between students and teachers, but not between children.
Criticism of the recommendation that grandparents be able to hug their grandchildren comes from the Swiss epidemiologist Christian Althaus (41). He writes on Twitter: “It would be appropriate for the FOPH to correct this misleading statement.”
Koch justified his grandparents’ remarks on Monday with talks with various experts at children’s hospitals across Switzerland and new studies. One of them shows that especially young children have very few docking stations for the virus in the throat and throat area, says theTages-Anzeiger ». The BAG wrote to the newspaper that Koch had referred to other previously unpublished studies.
The BAG adheres to his statements on request, but does not comment on the new study, writes the “Tages-Anzeiger”. Children with symptoms can transmit the disease. However, they are infected less frequently and have fewer symptoms. It is crucial that children with disease characteristics stay at home.
Pediatricians also support the opening of the school. The Swiss Pediatric Society wrote on its website: “Children are rarely infected, and infected children are rarely indicative of the spread of the virus.” The company refers to studies from the Netherlands and Australia and cites Sweden as an example, where the number of cases among those under the age of 20 is the same as in other countries. “Although the schools never closed.” (brb)
The corona virus currently occupies the whole world and there are new developments every day. All current information and figures on the subject are available in the Coronavirus ticker.
