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BREAKING: Children have at least as much virus in their nose and throat as adults do—and kids younger than 5 may have up to 100 times as much. This doesn’t *prove* that they transmit the virus, of course, but it’s suggestive. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/health/coronavirus-children.html
This study is small and has limitations, but it's consistent with another study by @c_drosten which I wrote about here: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/05/health/coronavirus-children-transmission-school.html
The new study, in JAMA Pediatrics, is small and has some limitations. BUT it's pretty convincing that kids have a lot of virus in their upper respiratory tract. so if they're not transmitting, it's for completely other reasons 3/x
Kids might not be able to transmit much because they have smaller lungs, speak softer and are shorter. But as @JumoDr said, they'd shed what's in their nose & throat, not lungs. If height is an issue, they would transmit to other kids. and speak softer--have you met my kids? 4/x
I know people will say, well, of course symptomatic kids have more virus. The study tried to control for that as well as they could. But also, hi, asymptomatic transmission is a thing in adults, so why not in kids? 5/x
Finally, just want to thank @taylorhealdme @JumoDr @KindrachukJason and @SSCLabQuips for their time and expertise:
here's the story again: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/health/coronavirus-children.html
here's the story again: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/30/health/coronavirus-children.html
