Do parents vaccinated against COVID-19 protect their children from hospitalization due to COVID-19?
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Published on: September 23, 2022
Ömer Günes1, Belgin Gülhan1, Ahmet Yasin Guney1
1Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Ankara City Hospital, 06800 Ankara, Turkey.
Insights
Parental COVID-19 vaccination significantly reduces hospitalization risk for infected children. When both parents are fully vaccinated, children experience milder coronavirus disease 2019 infections, decreasing the need for inpatient care.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Epidemiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses risks to children, with hospitalization rates influenced by various factors.
- The emergence of the Delta variant during 2021 highlighted the ongoing need to understand transmission dynamics and protective measures.
- Parental vaccination status as a potential indirect protective factor for pediatric COVID-19 outcomes requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between parental COVID-19 vaccination and the severity of COVID-19 infection in their children.
- To determine if parental vaccination status influences pediatric hospitalization rates for COVID-19.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of pediatric patients diagnosed with COVID-19 between August and October 2021 in Turkey.
- Comparison of clinical outcomes (inpatient vs. outpatient) based on parental vaccination status.
- Statistical analysis to identify correlations between parental vaccination and child hospitalization.
Main Results:
- Children of fully vaccinated parents had significantly lower hospitalization rates compared to those with unvaccinated parents.
- Higher rates of obesity and neurological disorders were observed in hospitalized children.
- A significant correlation (p < 0.001) was found between parental vaccination status and pediatric COVID-19 severity.
Conclusions:
- Parental COVID-19 vaccination offers indirect protection to children, reducing their risk of hospitalization.
- Milder COVID-19 outcomes in children are associated with having both parents fully vaccinated.
- Further research is recommended to explore these effects across different COVID-19 variants.
Objective:
This study aimed to determine whether parental vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevents hospitalization of COVID-19-infected children.
Methods:
This study was based on data obtained from the records of pediatric patients that were followed up for virologically proven COVID-19 infection between August and October 2021, during which time the delta variant was dominant in Turkey and the children were isolating at home.
Results:
There were 151 patients in the inpatient group and 218 in the outpatient group; the mean age was 172.5 and 145.5 months in the groups, respectively. The rates of obesity (22.5% and 6.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) and neurological-neurodevelopmental disorders (8.6% and 1.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the inpatient group than in the outpatient group. Of the outpatients' parents, 67.4% (n = 147) were fully vaccinated vs. 38.4% (n = 58) in the inpatient group. In all, 39.7% (n = 60) of the inpatients' parents were unvaccinated vs. 18.3% (n = 40) in the outpatient group. There was a significant correlation between the vaccination status and the patient groups (p < 0.001); it was determined that the COVID-19 infection would be mild in children if both parents were fully vaccinated. When both parents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the hospitalization rate decreased and the outpatient follow-up rate increased.
Conclusion:
Having both parents fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can indirectly protect their subsequently infected children from hospitalization and the long-term effects of infection. Nonetheless, more comprehensive research on delta and non-delta variants is needed.
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