Outcomes of COVID-19 in Children After Wide Distribution of COVID Vaccine, Albaha, Saudi Arabia

Background: The WHO announced COVID-19 as a pandemic on 12 March 2020, and has become a major public health around the world. Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate clinical presentation and outcomes of COVID-19 cases after wide distribution of COVID vaccine. Methods: Cross sectional study, retrospective file review of the children aged less than 14 years, and confirmed by positive swab test to have COVID 19, from May 2021 to May 2022. Results: A total of 125 patients with positive tests were included in this study. Males made up 52.8% (66/125) of the population, while females made up 47.2% (59/125). The age group of 5–10 years was the most affected, with 46.2%. The common symptoms noted were fever 90.4%, followed by abdominal pain 45.6%, vomiting 44%, diarrhea 41.6%, running nose 39.2%, cough 36%, and headache 25%. Conjunctivitis (4%) and skin rash (1.6%) were the least common symptoms. Only four patients needed PICU admission. No mortality was reported in this study. Conclusions: The study concluded that the COVID severity became less with a short hospital course after wide distribution of the COVID vaccine. Male patients were more affected than female patients in the age group 5-10 years. Severe cases were associated with comorbidities.