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Volume 27, Number 1—January 2021
Research Letter

Absence of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission from Children in Isolation to Guardians, South Korea

Eun Joo Lee, Dong Hyun Kim, Sung Hee Chang, Sun Bok Suh, Jina Lee, Hyunju Lee, and Mi Seon HanComments to Author 
Author affiliations: Seongnam Citizens Medical Center, Seongnam, South Korea (E.J. Lee); Inha University Hospital, Incheon, South Korea (D.H. Kim); Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea (S.H. Chang); Busan Medical Center, Busan, South Korea (S.B. Suh); Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (J. Lee); Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam (H. Lee); Seoul Metropolitan Government-Seoul National University Boramae Medical Center, Seoul (M.S. Han)

Main Article

Table

Clinical characteristics and infection control measures of 12 children with COVID-19 and their uninfected guardians sharing hospital isolation rooms, South Korea, February 18–June 7, 2020*

Characteristics Patient no.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Patient sex F F M F M M M M F M M M
Patient age, y
 6
 9
 8
 9
 11
 8
 0
 6
 6
 5
 4
 4
Days of isolation
 7
 37
 17
 9
 15
 21
 19
 12
 16
 31
 30
 17
Symptoms
 None
 None
 Mild FV, C
 None
 None
 None
 FV, C, S
 None
 None
 FV, ST
 FV, V
 C, S
Pneumonia
 N
 N
 Y
 N
 N
 N
 N
 N
 N
 N
 N
 N
Face mask† KF94 Surgical Surgical Surgical Surgical Surgical None KF94 KF94 KF80 None KF94
Compliance
 Good
 Good
 Poor
 Good
 Good
 Poor
 NA
 Fair
 Fair
 Fair
 NA
 Poor
Guardian Mother Mother Mother Mother Mother Mother Father Mother Uncle Mother Mother Mother
Symptoms‡ None None None None None None None None None None None C, S, H
Face mask KF94 KF94 N95 N95 N95 N95 KF94 KF94 KF94 KF80 Surgical KF94
Goggles N Y Y Y Y Y Y N N N N N
Gloves Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y N Y
Gown/coverall Y/N Y/N N/Y N/Y N/Y N/Y N/Y N/N N/N N/N N/N Y/N
Contact with
 patient§ >1 m Close Close Close Close Close Close Close >1 m Close Close Close

*Guardians were with the children for the duration of their isolation. COVID-19, coronavirus disease; C, cough; FV, fever; H, headache; NA, not applicable; S, sputum; ST, sore throat; V, vomiting. 
†Compliance was deemed good when masks were worn most of the time, fair for frequent adherence, and poor when worn <50% of observed time. A KF94 mask filters ≈94% of particles of 0.4 μm in size, an N95 mask filters ≈95% of particles of 0.3 μm in size, and a KF80 mask filters ≈80% of particles of 0.6 μm.
‡None of the guardians tested positive for COVID-19.
§Guardians for patients 1 and 9 maintained >1-meter distance from patients, but other guardians had frequent close contact with patients.

Main Article

Page created: October 19, 2020
Page updated: December 21, 2020
Page reviewed: December 21, 2020
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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