Are children less likely to spread COVID-19? The research points to yes.

Students in Japan
(Image credit: Carl Court/Getty Images)

School will start up again in August or September, and plans are in flux — in most school districts but also in families. The American Association of Pediatrics offered its advice this week, and it was a little unexpected. Children should be "physically present in school" as much as possible, AAP "strongly" urged. One of their rationales: Unlike with the flu, it seems "children may be less likely to become infected and to spread infection" of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

"What we have seen so far in the literature — and anecdotally, as well — is that kids really do seem to be both less likely to catch the infection and less likely to spread the infection," pediatric infectious disease specialist Sean O'Leary, who helped write the AAP's guidelines, tells The New York Times. "It seems to be even more true for younger kids, under 10 or under 12." There are very few reports of the virus spreading in U.S. day care centers, he said. "And it seems like in countries where they have reopened schools, it plays a much smaller role in driving spread of disease than we would expect."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.