In this pandemic that we are experiencing due to COVID-19, we have realized that although it can affect people of any age, it has more incidence in the elderly than in children. For many it still remains a mystery, but it would be good to understand it in order to defeat the virus as soon as possible.
This virus behaves very differently from other viruses such as the flu, which is usually dangerous for people of any age. With COVID-19 , children do not yet have a well-developed immune system and older people have it weakened, so this can have a lot to do with the severity of the condition in each other.
Understand the little condition in children
Understanding the low level of disease in children could help to understand how and why the virus makes and kills different age groups. It seems that the coronavirus condition has more to do with the host than with the condition itself. In older people, a dysregulation is created in the body that causes exaggerated reactions to the coronavirus and that is why people die from the infections caused.
What causes more damage is the aggressive response of the immune system to the threat, so the consequences are fatal in many cases. The first hypotheses as to why it seems that children escape more from this COVID-19 are that perhaps children are more exposed to other mild coronaviruses that circulate every year and cause colds, something that can give children some strengthened immunity.
Experts believe that if it is confirmed that children are less prone to infection, there may be a more mechanical component than an immune one. Perhaps there is something in children’s bodies or lungs like receptors that interferes with the virus’ ability to attach to the body.
Much remains to be understood
These expert assumptions show how little is still known about the virus and how much one has to learn in order to defeat it. A learning that must be done against the clock because more and more innocent human lives are being taken. It is necessary to focus on the vaccine and treatment to defeat the virus in people who are affected and that it does not destroy the health of the sick person in such a sudden way.
Schools and educational centers are closed despite the few infections in children, because although they may be contagious in the same way, they have few symptoms and can infect other more vulnerable people. Something that could undoubtedly continue to raise the curve that we want so much to flatten as soon as possible.
Children can often be a factor of infection and can transmit it to parents, relatives and the general society. For this reason it is necessary that educational centers are closed to avoid, above all, that professionals become infected. Schools are closed primarily to protect adult staff.
