Characteristics of Children Hospitalized for Acute COVID-19 in France From February 2020 to December 2023

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2025 Apr 1;44(4):346-350. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000004681. Epub 2025 Feb 14.

Abstract

We describe the characteristics of children hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 in France with a focus on the post-BA.1 Omicron period (February 2022-December 2023). We identified 3 main groups of children: those ≤90 days old (44.8%), older children with comorbidities (22.1%) and children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (5.2%). Low vaccination coverage in these groups suggests that this burden could be alleviated with immunization.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04336956.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • COVID-19* / complications
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • France / epidemiology
  • Hospitalization* / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Vaccination Coverage / statistics & numerical data

Supplementary concepts

  • pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease, COVID-19 related

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04336956