The 'mild impacts' of COVID-19 on children is ‘the great unknown factor’ in this epidemic

ANU Professor of Infectious Diseases Sanjaya Senanayake says children “are having very mild infections" and in some cases may not contract coronavirus at all.

Based on data released from China, during the early stages of the coronavirus epidemic only two per cent of the total number of cases were children.

Mr Senanayake said doctors are now asking “are more children getting infected but we are just not picking them up because they are having such a mild infection?"

“Children are the great unknown so far in this outbreak,” he told Sky News host Chris Smith.

He also said, “going out into the community and walking around with a mask may not be that effective".

Surgical masks "don’t fit very well, are not effective for that long and can get wet and moist".

"Hand hygiene is still the best thing to do in that situation," he said.

Image: AP