Huh? Exposure to children actually decreased the risk of severe COVID-19 in adults (Solomon et al.)?; But we told you this all along that even closing school hurt elderly, you lunatics didn't care

Exposure to young children was strongly associated with less severe COVID-19; we already knew children were strongly protected from COVID due to cross-reactive immunity, less nasal ACE 2 receptors

SOURCE:

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2204141119

Prior exposure to non-SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses that commonly infect children confers some resistance to severe COVID-19 illness.

Researchers in California (Solomon et al.) identified ‘3,126,427 adults (24% [N = 743,814] with children ≤18, and 8.8% [N = 274,316] with youngest child 0–5 years) to assess whether parents of young children—who have high exposure to non-SARS-CoV-2 coronaviruses—may also benefit from potential cross-immunity.

In a large, real-world population, exposure to young children was strongly associated with less severe COVID-19 illness, after balancing known COVID-19 risk factors. This epidemiologic signal suggests endemic coronavirus cross-immunity may play a role in protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes.

Abstract

‘Susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 infection vary widely. Prior exposure to endemic coronaviruses, common in young children, may protect against SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated risk of severe COVID-19 among adults with and without exposure to young children in a large, integrated healthcare system. Adults with children 0–5 years were matched 1:1 to adults with children 6–11 years, 12–18 years, and those without children based upon a COVID-19 propensity score and risk factors for severe COVID-19. COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations, and need for intensive care unit (ICU) were assessed in 3,126,427 adults, of whom 24% (N = 743,814) had children 18 years or younger, and 8.8% (N = 274,316) had a youngest child 0–5 years.

After 1:1 matching, propensity for COVID-19 infection and risk factors for severe COVID-19 were well balanced between groups. Rates of COVID-19 infection were slightly higher for adults with exposure to older children (incident risk ratio, 1.09, 95% confidence interval, [1.05–1.12] and IRR 1.09 [1.05–1.13] for adults with children 6–11 and 12–18, respectively), compared to those with children 0–5 years, although no difference in rates of COVID-19 illness requiring hospitalization or ICU admission was observed.

However, adults without exposure to children had lower rates of COVID-19 infection (IRR 0.85, [0.83–0.87]) but significantly higher rates of COVID-19 hospitalization (IRR 1.49, [1.29–1.73]) and hospitalization requiring ICU admission (IRR 1.76, [1.19–2.58]) compared to those with children aged 0–5. In a large, real-world population, exposure to young children was associated with less severe COVID-19 illness. Endemic coronavirus cross-immunity may play a role in protection against severe COVID-19.’

An important question: why did the CDC and NIH and governments with respective agencies in US not work to prevent nursing home staff from working multiple jobs and entering multiple care facilities daily, brining in infection to vulnerable residents?