Do parents vaccinated against COVID-19 protect their children from hospitalization due to COVID-19?

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine whether parental vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevents hospitalization of COVID-19-infected children.

METHODS

This study was based on data obtained from the records of pediatric patients that were followed up for virologically proven COVID-19 infection between August and October 2021, during which time the delta variant was dominant in Turkey and the children were isolating at home.

RESULTS

There were 151 patients in the inpatient group and 218 in the outpatient group; the mean age was 172.5 and 145.5 months in the groups, respectively. The rates of obesity (22.5% and 6.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) and neurological-neurodevelopmental disorders (8.6% and 1.4%, respectively, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the inpatient group than in the outpatient group. Of the outpatients' parents, 67.4% (n = 147) were fully vaccinated vs. 38.4% (n = 58) in the inpatient group. In all, 39.7% (n = 60) of the inpatients' parents were unvaccinated vs. 18.3% (n = 40) in the outpatient group. There was a significant correlation between the vaccination status and the patient groups (p < 0.001); it was determined that the COVID-19 infection would be mild in children if both parents were fully vaccinated. When both parents were fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the hospitalization rate decreased and the outpatient follow-up rate increased.

CONCLUSION

Having both parents fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can indirectly protect their subsequently infected children from hospitalization and the long-term effects of infection. Nonetheless, more comprehensive research on delta and non-delta variants is needed.