A Look at DESE's Cited Sources: Footnote #12 and #67 - Characteristics of Household Transmission of COVID-19

DESE Claim 1 (footnote #12): "If exposed, children may be less likely to become infected with COVID-19. [...] In China, in households with COVID-19 exposure, children under the age of 18 were infected at a rate of 4% compared with 17% for adults."

DESE Claim 2 (footnote #67): "In China, in households with COVID-19 exposure, children under the age of 18 were infected at a rate of 4% compared with 17% for adults."

Cited Source: Wei Li, Bo Zhang, Jianhua Lu, Shihua Liu, Zhiqiang Chang, Cao Peng, Xinghua Liu, Peng Zhang, Yan Ling, Kaixiong Tao, Jianying Chen, Characteristics of Household Transmission of COVID-19, Clinical Infectious Diseases, , ciaa450, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa450

Peer Reviewed?: yes

Study Methodology: Data collection and analysis from COVID-19 patients and their household contacts in China. Data included PCR testing, medical records analysis, and telephone interviews

Notes: The study looks at who within a household becomes infected with COVID-19 after an index case (family member) brings the virus into the home. The rate of secondary infection was 17% for adults and 4% for children in this study from the beginning of the pandemic in Wuhan. 

Supports DESE Claim 1?: Yes. Children may be less likely to get COVID-19. This does not indicate that schools are safe for adults, nor does it indicate that the infection rate within households would be similar to the infection rate in schools.

Supports DESE Claim 2?: Yes.