UNSW study suggests children with asthma are not at higher risk for severe COVID-19
Researchers from the University of New South Wales have reviewed health records to assess whether asthma increases the likelihood of severe outcomes from COVID-19 in children. The findings, published in Asthma and Allergy Magazine, indicate that having asthma does not independently raise the risk of severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection in pediatric patients. This conclusion adds a reassuring layer to ongoing public health messaging, especially for families managing asthma in a pandemic context. The study emphasizes that the overall trajectory of COVID-19 in children with asthma mirrors that of their peers without the condition across several waves of the virus.
Given that asthma often predisposes children to respiratory infections such as influenza, early hypotheses suggested a possible heightened vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2. The UNSW team sought to determine whether this assumption held true during the different waves of the pandemic, including variant-driven surges. Their analysis found no meaningful difference in disease severity between asthmatic and non-asthmatic children, which helps clarify risk profiles for families and clinicians alike.
In their analysis, investigators examined data from all individuals under the age of 17 who were treated within the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network from January 2020 through May 2022 and who had a confirmed positive COVID-19 PCR test. Within this cohort, about 5.41 percent had a documented asthma diagnosis prior to infection. The researchers aimed to capture a broad real-world picture, spanning periods of evolving public health measures and shifting viral characteristics, to ensure the results would be applicable to contemporary pediatric care.
Across the dataset, 72 children experienced severe infections that required admission to intensive care units. Importantly, children with asthma did not show an increased likelihood of ICU admission in either major phase of the study. Among those needing mechanical ventilation, 19 children required support, and only two of them had asthma. Mortality related to SARS-CoV-2 infection was rare in the cohort, and there were no recorded deaths among children with asthma. These patterns reinforce the notion that asthma does not by itself confer a higher risk of the most serious COVID-19 outcomes in children.
The researchers also observed that during the period when the omicron variant was dominant, the average length of hospital stay for children with asthma rose slightly, by about 1.17 days. While this uptick warrants ongoing vigilance, it did not translate into a higher rate of severe complications for asthmatic patients. The study underscores the need to keep monitoring emerging variants and to continue reinforcing vaccination recommendations, particularly for children with underlying health conditions, as a means to reduce the risk of serious respiratory infections overall. The findings support a careful, evidence-based approach to pediatric COVID-19 management and vaccination planning in Canada, the United States, and other regions with similar healthcare considerations. [Source: Asthma and Allergy Magazine, summarized for clinical context and public health planning]
Overall, the UNSW analysis contributes to a growing body of evidence about pediatric COVID-19, suggesting that asthma, when properly managed, should not be treated as an automatic predictor of severe disease. Clinicians are encouraged to continue individualized asthma care, maintain regular follow-ups, and emphasize vaccination as part of a comprehensive strategy to protect children from respiratory infections in the current and evolving landscape of COVID-19. The study highlights the value of real-world data drawn from large hospital networks to guide policy and family decisions in North America and beyond.
In conclusion, the findings offer reassurance to families and clinicians that asthma, as a chronic respiratory condition, does not inherently worsen COVID-19 outcomes for children across multiple waves of the pandemic. Ongoing surveillance, adaptive clinical guidelines, and vaccination remain essential tools in safeguarding pediatric health as new variants emerge and public health recommendations continue to evolve.