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COVID-19 is a leading cause of death among children, but is still rare

By: Ayana Archie | NPR
Posted on: Tuesday, January 31, 2023

WASHINGTON (NPR) — COVID-19 was the eighth leading cause of death among children in recent months, according to a study published Monday.

Fifth-graders wearing face masks sit at proper social distancing during a music class to avoid COVID-19 cases at the Milton Elementary School in Rye, N.Y. — Fifth-graders wearing face masks sit at proper social distancing during a music class at the Milton Elementary School in Rye, N.Y., May 18, 2021. [Mary Altaffer | AP]

In a yearlong period from August 2021 to July 2022, 821 children ages 0 to 19 died from COVID-19 at a rate of 1 per 100,000. Children’s deaths of any kind are rare, researchers noted.

COVID-19 ranked fifth in non-disease-related deaths and first in infectious or respiratory illness deaths, overtaking the flu and pneumonia.

Before the pandemic, in 2019, the leading causes of death among children were perinatal conditions, unintentional injuries, birth defects, assault, suicide, cancerous tumors, heart disease and influenza and pneumonia.

The time period researchers analyzed coincided with the rise of Delta and Omicron cases. They found that studying other 12-month periods during the pandemic did not change the results.

Researchers noted their results were limited by the underreporting of COVID-19 cases, and the exclusion of deaths where COVID-19 could have been a contributing or amplifying factor in tandem with other conditions, such as influenza.