Covid-19 in Children- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How is Covid-19 spread?
Covid-19 is spread from person to person in close contact (generally 6 feet) by respiratory droplets landing on
mucous membranes (mouth, nose and eyes). It can also be spread by surfaces if a person touches a surface
recently contaminated by respiratory droplets then rubs their nose, mouth or eyes or shares eating utensils.

What is the incubation period for Covid-19 once I’ve been exposed?
The incubation period can be as long as 14 days, but most people who develop the illness will feel fatigue,
headache or show other symptoms by Day 5 from exposure. Testing after an exposure is aimed at Day 5-7 from
exposure as this is the earliest time that the virus is likely to be detected in the nasopharynx (nose, mouth and
throat). If you have a negative test at Day 5-7, continue to self-monitor for fever (check temp AM and PM) and
other symptoms of CoVID-19 until 14 days from exposure. If you develop symptoms (cough, fever, headache,
fatigue, sore throat, diarrhea, shortness of breath or loss of taste or smell), retest and contact your doctor.
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine.html

What is considered an exposure?
An exposure is 15 minutes or longer of close contact (within 6 feet) to a person who is infected in an enclosed
space without high grade PPE (personal protective equipment). Exposures can also occur outside if you have
close contact without PPE- for example, hugging and sharing food utensils is close exposure even outside.

Is it safe to breastfeed my newborn or baby if I catch CoCID-19 as a nursing mother?
Yes, please continue to nurse your baby or give expressed breast milk if you become infected. Very little data is
available, but at least one study from the WHO showed low rates of virus in freshly expressed breast milk. The
benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risk of transmission through breast milk. The risk can be reduced if the
breastfeeding mother washes her hands and breast before pumping and wears a mask during pumping her milk
and the infant is fed by a non-infected caregiver OR if the mother wears a mask while nursing her baby for the
first 10 days of illness. Most babies show very little to no symptoms even if they become infected.

Do I need a second test to confirm clearance of the illness?
No, if you are a generally healthy person and you are feeling completely better after 10 days from your positive
test for Covid-19, you do not need to take a test for clearance. The tests for Covid-19 (both PCR and rapid
antigen tests) can detect dead virus for weeks, possibly even months after an infection, but the dead virus poses
no risk to others. If you are not feeling better after 10 days from your positive test date, contact your doctor.

How dangerous is Covid-19 for children?
Almost all healthy children less than 12 years old will have very mild or often no symptoms of infection and
will clear the illness rapidly without any intervention. MIS-C occurs rarely. Symptoms are prolonged fever
(101F for 4-5 days) along with signs of organ failure, rash, swollen glands or red eyes. Long term data on heart
damage is unknown at this time, but in hospitalized adults, the rate of acute heart inflammation as noted by
heart muscle enzymes varies from 5-20%. Children with MIS-C should be treated with medications in the
hospital to reduce the risk of heart and other organ long-term damage.

CoVID-19 Vaccine FAQs:

Can I take the Covid-19 vaccines if I am breastfeeding, pregnant or planning to become pregnant?
The short answer is “yes.” ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) supports the use of mRNA
Covid-19 vaccine for nursing and pregnant mothers as there is no live virus in the vaccine. The controversy
around sterility and Covid-19 vaccine is in regard to mRNA vaccines which are based upon the spike protein of
the virus and the similarity to the syncytial protein of the placenta. While the proteins are similar, there has been
no increase in miscarriages for mothers who have become infected with Covid-19 while pregnant, making it
highly unlikely that the virus triggers an auto-immune reaction that destroys the placenta. Since the vaccine is a
tiny dose compared to the actual infection, it is even much less likely that taking the vaccine would pose any
risk for women planning to become pregnant. If you have a history of auto-immune illness or you have had a
serious reaction to a prior vaccine, then it is best to consult your doctor prior to taking any vaccine.

Does the CoVID-19 vaccine contain aborted fetal cells?
No, the currently available Pfizer and Moderna mRNA Covid-19 vaccines do not contain aborted fetal cells and
aborted fetal cell lines were not used to manufacture the vaccines. The last confirmation phase of testing of the
vaccines for effectiveness and safety prior to Clinical Phase 1 trials for both companies did utilize a long-ago
established cell line HEK 293 which was developed in 1973 from an aborted female fetus. No fetal tissues or
fetal cell lines were used to manufacture the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines, although this is not the case
for all Covid-19 vaccines under development by other companies. Your decision to be vaccinated against
CoVID-19 by the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines does not promote the procurement of tissues from Planned
Parenthood and other medical facilities that perform abortions.

Are the vaccines effective against the new Covid-19 virus variants?
95% of people who take both doses of the mRNA vaccines currently available through Moderna and Pfizer will
make enough neutralizing antibodies at 1 week after the second dose to be immune to the Covid-19 virus, but
the South African Variant (B.1.351) is not as well covered as the original Covid-19 virus. It is unclear if the
amount of neutralizing antibodies from vaccinated persons will be enough to prevent infection by the South
African Variant of CoVID-19. It is important that even after receiving the Covid-19 vaccine series, people
should continue to social distance, wash hands and wear masks.

I have been infected with Covid-19 already. Should I still take the vaccine?
Most healthy people who have recovered from CoVID-19 infection will have protective (neutralizing)
antibodies against Covid-19 for 3 months, possibly longer. If you feel well from your illness, there is no need to
delay the vaccine, but it is also reasonable to obtain the vaccine at 90 days after your positive test date when
your natural immunity may begin to drop.

Covid 19 in Children – FAQs – pdf document download