10 Sep

The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry welcomes new study comparing Covid-19 trends in adults and children

The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) has welcomed a new study comparing Covid-19 trends in adults and children.

Research suggests that children accounted for just 1% of positive Coronavirus tests carried out in England between January and May 2020. Between the 16th January and May 3rd, 540,305 people were tested for the virus. This included 35,200 children aged under 16. Of all the positive tests, just 1,408 were confirmed in children. This equates to 1% of the total tests and 4% of tests carried out on under 16s. 

In addition to the low overall rate, cases were also uncommon in children with acute respiratory illnesses. Of the 2,961 people tested with respiratory infections, only 10 children tested positive. Positive cases were most common in older age groups, with 20.5% of 65-79 year olds and 45.5% of over 80’s with respiratory illnesses testing positive for Covid-19. 

Representatives from the BSPD welcomed the study and said that it will hopefully serve as a source of reassurance for children, parents and teachers as schools across the UK reopen. Stephen Fayle, a consultant in paediatric dentistry and a spokesperson for the society, stated that the findings of the study support the belief that children are “not an important source of infection.”

During the lockdown, dental teams have been working in close contact with public health officials and dental organisations to ensure that children who need urgent dental care have access to safe treatment. The study will hopefully help dental professionals and parents to feel more confident in resuming a wider range of dental services and enabling patients of all ages to undergo treatment at a local dental practice. Clinics are enforcing measures and infection control guidelines to ensure that surgeries are as safe as possible.