Long COVID in 7% of kids' virus cases says CSS chief

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 15 - So-called 'Long COVID' presents in 7% of children's cases of he coronavirus, Higher Health Council (CSS) President Franco Locatelli said Wednesday.
    "Some 7% of children can develop prolonged symptoms of Long Covid," he told a press conference on the vaccine rollout for children in Italy.
    "These numbers say why we have to greet with joy the fact that Italian families can use the opportunity to vaccinate their children." Hr said that giving kids the COVID jab "makes it possible to guarantee school attendance, in-person teaching and recreational activities that are very important for proper psychological development." Locatelli added that in children in Italy, there were currently 65 hospital admissions for COVID-19 for every 10,000 cases of infection.
    The Italian association of paediatricians told the same press conference that there were currently 250,000 cases of COVID among five-to-11-year-olds in Italy, spelling a "strong social malaise". (ANSA).