Longitudinal change in SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in 3-to 16-year-old children: The Augsburg Plus study.

Vincenza LeoneChrista MeisingerSelin TemizelElisabeth KlingMichael GerstlauerMichael C FrühwaldKatrin Burkhardt

Published in: PloS one (2022)

We noted a rather low seroprevalence in children despite an under-reporting of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Measurement of IgG antibodies derived from capillary blood appears to be a valid tool to detect asymptomatic infections in children. However, no asymptomatic active infection was detected during the study period of 4 months in the whole cohort. Further data on SARS-CoV-2 infections in children are needed, especially in the group of <5-year-olds, as there is currently no licensed vaccine for this age group in Germany. The Robert Koch Institute's Standing Commission on Vaccination (STIKO) recommended COVID-19 vaccination for 12-17 and 5-11 year olds in August 2021 and May 2022 respectively.

Keyphrases

sars cov
respiratory syndrome coronavirus
young adults
coronavirus disease
emergency department
electronic health record
cross sectional
big data
data analysis