[Paper/Press release] A new paper on post-COVID-19 conditions among children and adolescents in the general population has been published.demic on the mental health of Japan's adolescent population was covered by Kyodo News, Asahi Shimbun and others.

This study evaluated prevalence and risk factors for post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC) among 1,800 children aged 5 to 17 years who were diagnosed as having COVID-19 between March 2021 and April 2022 in Yao City, Osaka Prefecture in comparison with 1,341 age- and sex-matched non-infected controls.

• The frequency of PCC was 6.3%, which was three times higher than the frequency of symptoms lasting more than two months in the control group.

• Among children with PCC, 10.5% reported serious life disturbances to their daily lives six months or more after infection.
• Two prior vaccination doses halved the risk of PCC and could be a promising approach.

COVID-19 infection can lead to prolonged symptoms, even in children who experienced mild illness during an Omicron-dominant epidemic. Prior vaccination may reduce this risk.

To access the paper, click here:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2024.107008