Strictly speaking, children are not completely immune to infection, but they are ‘almost immune.’ Children are highly resistant to danger from COVID-19. //

“Total U.S. COVID cases” refers only to those who have tested positive for the virus. The word “case” is mentally associated with the word patient and implies that a case is someone who is sick. This is incorrect and a main reason for our national overreaction to the virus. To avoid the confusion and panic that 5 million “cases” generates, the number should be reported as “Total U.S. positive COVID-19 tests.”

Furthermore, the actual number of Americans infected with COVID-19 is certain to be much higher than 5 million, as only those with symptoms are typically tested. According to a small study of asymptomatic volunteers in Santa Clara County, Calif., the number of untested asymptomatic COVID infections could be 50 to 85 times greater than reported total cases. //

The term “COVID deaths,” currently at 166,090, is another misnomer. The majority of these deaths are people who died with the virus, not because of it. Most of those who died likely succumbed to their pre-existing life-threatening medical conditions such as diabetes, immune compromise, heart or kidney failure, and chronic lung disease. Often the deceased who also tested positive for COVID-19 had two or more of these conditions. //

the CDC reported 142,164 total deaths attributed to COVID-19. Forty-five of these deaths, 0.03 percent, were children. In other words, the likelihood that a child infected with COVID-19 will survive is so far 99.97 percent. //

Most vaccines currently available against other viral illnesses do not match the apparent natural resistance that children exhibit to COVID-19. The seasonal flu vaccine is usually 40-60 percent protective and the VPD-VAC Varicella (chicken pox) vaccination is effective in 82 percent of patients. Only the spectacular 99 percent protection achieved by polio vaccination approaches the 99.97 percent of childhood near-immunity to COVID-19. //

Deane Waldman, MD MBA, is Professor Emeritus of Pediatrics, Pathology and Decision Science