Children have low risk of Covid, this study may explain why

Through the Covid pandemic, it has been observed that children were less susceptible to the infection. It was also noted that they were least likely to spread the infection.

A study has shed more light on this and tried to find a reason behind this. The study revealed that children emitting fewer aerosol particles while speaking may be the reason why they are less likely to spread the infection than adults.

Smaller size of their lungs means that children emit fewer aerosol particles.

The study in this regard has been published in Journal of the Royal Society Interface

In the study, it was found that the particle emission rate was about four times lower for children than the same measurements taken from adults participating in the study.

“More precisely, children emitted [particle rates and emissions] during speaking of the same order of magnitude as adults breathing, and while singing, they emitted similar [particle rates and volumes] to the adults while speaking,” said Dr Mario Fleischer from Charité University Medicine Berlin. He was quoted by The Guardian.

“Especially in constellations with high vocal loudness, which are common in the everyday life of children and adolescents, the aerosol emission could be similar for different age groups, as the measurements for the shouting condition show,” said Fleischer. “On the other hand, singing and talking at volumes typical for children might be less restricted if the time frame is limited, like in common school and extracurricular settings.”