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Household Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Transmission and Children: A Network Prospective Study

2021; Oxford University Press; Volume: 73; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/cid/ciab228

1537-6591

Antoni Soriano‐Arandes, Anna Gatell, Pepe Serrano Marchuet, Mireia Biosca, Ferran Campillo i López, Ramon Capdevila, Anna Fàbrega, Zulema Lobato, N. López Segura, Ana Ma Moreno, Miriam Poblet, Maria Teresa Riera-Bosch, Neus Rius, Montserrat Ruíz, Almudena Sánchez, Cinta Valldepérez, Mònica Vilà, Valentí Pineda, Uxue Lazcano, Yesika Díaz, Juliana Reyes‐Urueña, Pere Soler‐Palacín, Marc García-Lorenzo, Lorena Braviz, Àngels Naranjo, Olga Salvadó, Silvia Burgaya, Lidia Aulet, Javier Cantero, Gloria Ruiz, Marina Fenoy, A. Martínez, Iris González, Anton Foguet, Imma Bayona, Guillermo García, Laia Solé Coromina, Clara Calbet, Mireia Carulla, Neus Piquè, Pilar Llobet, Berta Pujol, Alvaro Díaz‐Conradi, Maria Esteller, Blanca Rosich, Arantxa Gómez, Anna Ma Ristol, Borja Guarch, Francesc Ripoll, Maria Chiné, Carlos Losana, Romina Conti, Isabel Zambudio, Mercè Escuer, J.M. Ramírez Torres, Tomàs Maria Pérez-Porcuna, Emiliano Mora, Roger García-Puig, Silvia Salvador do Prado, Daniel Gros, Mercè Giribet, Pili Villalobos, Dolors Canadell, Xavier Bruna, Elisenda Martínez, Anna Bordas, Alexis Sentís, Jordi Aceitón, Jordi Casabona, Carlos Herrero, Isabel Casas, Nathalia Joaqui, Vanessa Laveglia, Grisel Vilagrasa, Maria José González, Laura Minguell, Núria Visa-Reñé, Fernando Paredes-Carmona, Anna Vidal-Moreso, Rosario Díez, Ana Sofia Moreira, Evelyn Berbel, Stephan Schneider, Maria Milà, Ana Miranda Maldonado, Imma Caubet, Magda Campins, Juliana Esperalba, Andrés Antón, Jordi Gómez i Prat, Raisa Morales, José Pedro Fernandes dos Santos, Pilar Gussinyé, Teresa Fenollosa, C Moreno, Joan Azemar, Xavier Durán, Gemma Terrer, Evaristo Galdeano, Raquel Plasencia, Rebecca Oglesby, Isabel Vives-Oñós, Silvia Sabaté, Vanessa Fernandez, Cintia Ago, Anna Castan, Francesc Fornaguera, Dolors Panadés, Ernesto E. Mónaco, Gemma Ricós, Gina Catasús, Maria A. Mendoza, Lidia Busquets, Esperança Macià, Sandra Segura, Ramona Martín, Verónica Sandra López,

COVID-19 and Mental Health

Abstract Background The role of children in household transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains unclear. We describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Catalonia, Spain, and investigate the household transmission dynamics. Methods A prospective, observational, multicenter study was performed during summer and school periods (1 July 2020–31 October 2020) to analyze epidemiological and clinical features and viral household transmission dynamics in COVID-19 patients aged <16 years. A pediatric index case was established when a child was the first individual infected. Secondary cases were defined when another household member tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 before the child. The secondary attack rate (SAR) was calculated, and logistic regression was used to assess associations between transmission risk factors and SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results The study included 1040 COVID-19 patients. Almost half (47.2%) were asymptomatic, 10.8% had comorbidities, and 2.6% required hospitalization. No deaths were reported. Viral transmission was common among household members (62.3%). More than 70% (756/1040) of pediatric cases were secondary to an adult, whereas 7.7% (80/1040) were index cases. The SAR was significantly lower in households with COVID-19 pediatric index cases during the school period relative to summer (P = .02) and compared to adults (P = .006). No individual or environmental risk factors associated with the SAR. Conclusions Children are unlikely to cause household COVID-19 clusters or be major drivers of the pandemic, even if attending school. Interventions aimed at children are expected to have a small impact on reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.