Family Study Aims to Answer Questions about Children and COVID-19

At Mendy and Joe McNulty's home in Mount¹ Juliet, Tennessee, coronavirus testing supplies are in the kitchen. The parents gather there with their two sons to do home tests in a new study involving American families.

The McNultys are among about 2,000 families in 11 U.S. cities taking part in a DIY, or do-it yourself, study to learn more about the coronavirus. In all, the experiment involves around 6,000 people.

The families have no in-person contact with researchers. They get the necessary testing supplies in the mail.

"This virus is so unknown. Any little bit we can do felt like we were doing something to help," Mendy said, explaining why the family chose to take part.

The study looks for answers to some of the most difficult questions about COVID-19. How many U.S. children and teens are infected? How many children who are infected show no symptoms? How likely are they to spread it to other children and adults?

Dr. Tina Hartert of Vanderbilt University is leading the government-financed study. She recently told the Associated Press that "we just don't know yet the degree to which children can transmit the virus." Transmit is a verb that means to cause a virus or disease to be given to others.

Evidence from the U.S., China and Europe shows that children are less likely to become infected with the virus. They are also less likely to become seriously ill when they do get sick.

There is also data suggesting that young children do not transmit the virus very often. But the data does suggest that children age 10 and over may spread the virus just as easily as adults. The new study aims to find better evidence.

The families collect their own nasal swabs for COVID-19 tests. Less often, they also collect blood and stool² samples. The samples are sent off by mail. Subjects receive text messages that ask about possible symptoms and that remind them to test.

The study could help give information about the safety of in-class education during the coronavirus crisis³. However, results are not expected before the end of the year.

The exact number of COVID-19 cases in children remains⁴ unclear. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that at least 175,000 cases have been confirmed in those aged⁵ 17 and under. Those cases make up less than 10 percent of all confirmed cases in the U.S.

But health experts say the true number is likely much higher because many children do not get tested.

The family study is also investigating whether children with asthma⁶ or allergies⁷ might have some protection against COVID-19. Experts do not know why that might be the case, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy⁸ and Infectious⁹ Diseases. The institute is paying for the research.

As a mom, former school teacher and scientist, Hartert wants to better understand the coronavirus. She says it is possible that none of the families will get infected. But that possibility is highly unlikely, given the number of COVID-19 cases across the country, she added.

Mendy McNulty says so far her family has remained healthy. She and her husband are both 39 and don't feel too worried about getting sick.

She is waiting to see what happens when her children return to school in mid-August. They will go to school two days a week - with face coverings and social distancing - and do online learning three days a week. "I am prepared to bring everyone home" if outbreaks occur, she said.

McNulty said the boys — 7-year-old Andrew and 9-year-old Hudson — were happy to take part in the study. She helps them do the nose swabbing, and they both say it does not really hurt.

Dr. David Kimberlin says he and other health experts have been waiting for the kind of data the family study will provide. "Generally speaking, the virus behaves differently in children than adults," said Kimberlin, a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "Why is that? We just need to know so much more."

I'm John Russell.

Words in This Story

symptom – n. a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present

nasal – adj. always used before a noun : of or relating to the nose

swab – n. a small piece of soft material sometimes on the end of a small stick that is used for applying medicine, cleaning a wound, etc.

stool – n. medical : a piece of solid waste that is released from the body

sample – n. a small amount of something that gives you information about the thing it was taken from

asthma – n. medical: a physical condition that makes it difficult for someone to breathe

allergy – n. a medical condition that causes someone to become sick after eating, touching¹⁰, or breathing something that is harmless to most people

outbreak – n. a sudden start or increase in the spread of a disease or fighting

1 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

2 stool   

n.凳子；粪便；根株；v.长出新枝，排便

参考例句：

• The stool is steady enough.这个凳子很稳。
• The boy was straining at stool.那个男孩在用力大便。

3 crisis   

n.危机，危急关头，决定性时刻，关键阶段

参考例句：

• He had proved that he could be relied on in a crisis.他已表明，在紧要关头他是可以信赖的。
• The topic today centers about the crisis in the Middle East.今天课题的中心是中东危机。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 asthma   

n.气喘病，哮喘病

参考例句：

• I think he's having an asthma attack.我想他现在是哮喘病发作了。
• Its presence in allergic asthma is well known.它在过敏性气喘中的存在是大家很熟悉的。

7 allergies   

n.[医]过敏症；[口]厌恶，反感；（对食物、花粉、虫咬等的）过敏症( allergy的名词复数 )；变态反应，变应性

参考例句：

• Food allergies can result in an enormous variety of different symptoms. 食物过敏会引发很多不同的症状。 来自辞典例句
• Let us, however, examine one of the most common allergies; hayfever. 现在让我们来看看最常见的变态反应的一种--枯草热。 来自辞典例句

8 allergy   

n.(因食物、药物等而引起的)过敏症

参考例句：

• He developed an allergy to pollen.他对花粉过敏。
• The patient had an allergy to penicillin.该患者对青霉素过敏。

9 infectious   

adj.传染的，有传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。
• What an infectious laugh she has!她的笑声多么具有感染力啊！

10 touching   

adj.动人的，使人感伤的

参考例句：

• It was a touching sight.这是一幅动人的景象。
• His letter was touching.他的信很感人。