A study analyzed COVID-19 severity in hospitalized children across nine countries, focusing on the impact of different SARS-CoV-2 variants over time.
It found that children younger than 5 years showed a decrease in ICU admissions during the Omicron wave compared to the earlier variants, but ventilatory support needs remained unchanged.
In older children (5 to <18 years), there was a significant decrease in ICU admissions, ventilatory support, and oxygen therapy requirements as new variants emerged.