Study finds far-reaching impacts on health and well-being

Scientists have estimated the prevalence of post-coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) conditions among school children in England. They also assessed the presence of persistent symptoms in schoolchildren with or without a history of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

The study is published in the journal BMC Infectious Diseases.

Study: Post-COVID-19 status and persistent symptoms in English schoolchildren: repeated surveys to March 2022. Image Credit: GUA5/Shutterstock

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has had a significant impact on the health status of susceptible people, including the elderly, people with comorbidities, and immunocompromised patients. However, the disease was comparatively less severe in children and adolescents.

Three years into the pandemic, a significant proportion of the world’s population is still experiencing persistent symptoms, medically termed long COVID-19. Some persistent symptoms, such as fatigue, anxiety and unhappiness, have also been observed in children and adolescents who have no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. These symptoms could be related to the social restrictions imposed by the pandemic.

In the current study, scientists estimated the prevalence of long COVID among schoolchildren in England. Additionally, they compared the prevalence of persistent symptoms between schoolchildren with and without confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection.

study design

The study analyzed data collected as part of the COVID-19 Infections in Schools Survey which was carried out on English schoolchildren for the 2021-2022 school year.

A total of 7,797 children from 173 schools participated in the study. For children aged 4 to 16, parents or guardians completed the study questionnaires. For the 16-18 age group, the children themselves provided the information.

The study questionnaires were designed to collect information on household structures, socio-demographic characteristics, medical history and symptoms, COVID-19 diagnostic results, social contacts and mental health status.

Important observations

The prevalence of long COVID in the study population was estimated at 1.8% for primary school children aged 4-11, 4.5% for secondary school children aged 11-16, and 6.9 % for secondary school children aged 16-18. No changes in prevalence were observed regarding gender, comorbidities or socioeconomic status.

A high prevalence of specific symptoms persisting for more than 12 weeks was observed in the study population, regardless of the history of infection. Specifically, about 48% of elementary school children and 52-79% of secondary school children reported at least one persistent symptom.

For primary school children, cough, sore throat, anxiety and difficulty concentrating were the most commonly reported persistent symptoms. For high school students, anxiety, low mood and difficulty concentrating were the most commonly reported symptoms.

The proportion of secondary school children reporting at least one persistent symptom was higher in those with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to those without previous infection. However, this trend was not observed among primary school students.

Among children with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the most frequently reported persistent symptoms were loss of smell and taste, cardiovascular symptoms (chest pain and palpitations), and systemic symptoms (fever , chills and fatigue). The prevalence of symptoms related to the lungs, head, eyes, ears, nose and throat was also higher in children with previous infection than in those without a history of infection.

Significance of the study

The study reveals a low but growing prevalence of long-COVID among school children in England. A high percentage of these children also have persistent symptoms, regardless of their history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This highlights the tremendous impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical and mental health of this specific population.

As mentioned by the scientists, more research is needed to fully understand the long-term impact of persistent symptoms on academic achievement and overall quality of life in the younger generation.