Impact of Novel Coronavirus Vaccination on the Clinical Characteristics and Parental Care Needs of Infected Children During a High-Intensity Epidemic Period

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the clinical characteristics
and care needs of infected children during a high-intensity pandemic and to measure the potential effects of vaccination on children’s health status and healthcare utilization. Methods: A sample of 903 children who had recently been infected with the novel coronavirus and came to our hospital’s emergency department from January 11 to January 30, 2023, was used as the research object in this retrospective study. The questionnaire on unknown coronavirus infection was filled out anonymously, and SPSS20.0 software was used for statistical data analysis. Results: The baseline conditions of 903 subjects were studied, including 505 males, accounting for 55.92%, and 398 females, accounting for 44.08%. The age of infection was mainly concentrated in preschool children (26.02%) and school-age children (38.76%). Regarding vaccination, 561 cases were vaccinated, accounting for 62.13%. Among them, 37 children received one dose of vaccine, accounting for 4.1%, 463 children received two doses, accounting for 51.27%, and 61 children received three doses, accounting for 6.76%. For previous allergic diseases, 180 children had a history of allergic diseases, accounting for 19.93%. Regarding sources of infection, the most common source was someone at home, accounting for 82.61%. Vaccination can effectively reduce the fever of children infected with the new coronavirus, the number of outpatient and emergency doctor visits, and the risk of hospitalization. In addition, regarding treatment, children in the vaccinated group were more likely to be treated at home, and the types of drugs used also differed from those in the non-vaccinated group. However, the vaccination group has a relatively high incidence of symptoms such as sore throat, cough, abnormal sense of smell and taste, muscle soreness, and headache. However, these are mild clinical symptoms and do not affect children’s physical health and development. Parental care needs for children infected with COVID-19 are disparate, and parents of vaccinated children have lower proportions of needs for child care. Conclusion: Vaccination positively impacts the clinical outcomes of children infected with COVID-19 and their parents’ well-being.