LAUSR

Key Points Question What is the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children detected when removing testing barriers, and how do symptoms and severity compare with the burden of other respiratory illnesses? Findings In this cohort study of 1209 children and adults from 307 households in the Netherlands, when comparing the incidence (per person-year) of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children (0.22 at age <12 years and 0.21 at age 12-17 years) with that of adults (0.27), no significant difference was found. Unlike the SARS-CoV-2 disease burden in adults, the burden in children with SARS-CoV-2–positive respiratory illness episodes was similar to that of children with SARS-CoV-2–negative episodes. Meaning This study found that SARS-CoV-2 symptoms in children were not more severe than symptoms from other common respiratory illnesses, which could be an important consideration in pediatric COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.