Europe has the highest rate of infection among children aged 5 to 14

On December 7, Hans Kluge, who's European Regional director, said that children aged between five and 14 were now the group with the highest rate of COVID-19 infection in Europe. Dr. Krueger urged European countries to put in place measures as soon as possible to reduce the number of cases among children. He said that in some European countries and regions, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in children aged 5 to 14 is two to three times higher than in the rest of the population. According to le Parisien, as of the end of November, there were 2,300 confirmed cases of the virus in Children aged 5 to 14 in Austria. Since the beginning of November, the number of confirmed cases in France among children aged six to 10 has risen from 100 to 1,000. However, compared with the elderly, healthcare workers and people with compromised immune systems, children are less likely to become severely ill. "As the Christmas holidays approach, if children get COVID-19, they are likely to pass it on to their parents and grandparents," Kruger said.

If these adults are not vaccinated, they are 10 times more likely to become severely ill or die from COVID-19." In Krueger's view, elementary schools across Europe should introduce measures such as masks and ventilation to create a safe environment for children to learn, while avoiding school closures or distance learning. The move follows the EU's decision to vaccinate children between the ages of five and 11 from December 13. The EU said the move was in response to the worsening epidemic situation in Europe. In the past month, There have been 10 million new confirmed cases and 120,000 deaths in Europe, Krueger said.

In principle, masks are not required for children aged five and under, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation on the use of masks for children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Who says masks may be required for children 5 and younger in some areas, or in special circumstances, such as close contact with sick people. If a mask needs to be worn, parents or guardians should keep the child in sight at all times and monitor the safety of the mask at all times.