Israeli study finds kids can transmit coronavirus in some cases

The Health Ministry has released an epidemiological study that will be used to determine whether daycares, kindergartens and schools are given the final go ahead to open tomorrow.

The study, which tracked the spread of the virus in hundreds of families of various sizes in Bnei Brak, finds that children have a lower chance of getting sick, but can still carry the coronavirus and transmit it, though the authors admit the findings are preliminary.

It finds that children under 10 transmit the disease 20-40 percent of the rate that adults do, while those between 10 and 20 transmit it 30-50% of the adult rate.

It says the chances of transmission rise with age, though those under a year can also be highly contagious.

“We recommend that decision-makers act with an abundance of caution and only open schools and return students gradually,” write the authors of the study, of the Gertner Research Institute at Tel Hashomer Hospital.

The authors suggest having a system in place to closely monitor schools, including taking steps if infections are found among students and comprehensive randomized testing.

Gertner Institute for Epide… by Joshua Davidovich on Scribd