Covid-19 less likely to damage lungs of youngsters, new research

Mangalore Today News Network / News18

New Delhi, Sep 14, 2021: New research claims that the possibility of lung damage due to the novel coronavirus infection among youth is very less. The lungs of youngsters, who contracted the deadly contagion, function the same way as they did before contracting the virus, said a report in the Hindustan Times, adding the working capacity of lungs wasn’t affected.

 

The research paper was recently presented virtually at the European Respiratory Society International Congress. According to the paper if corona infection has occurred at a very young age it will not affect the working capacity of the lungs. The researcher Dr Ida Mogensen of  Karolinska Institute in Sweden says that even the asthma patients had no impact on the functioning of lungs after covid infection.  Although they had trouble breathing, the working ability of the lungs was not affected.

No effect on lungs of children and teenagers:

Another study has also claimed that there is no impact on the working ability of lungs in children and teenagers who contracted covid-19. The infection has not affected the functioning of the lungs and they are working the same way. The lungs of teenagers and children are safe even after covid infection, the latest research showed. However, the lungs of children and teenagers, who had severe coronavirus infection, have been badly affected.

Dr Ida Mogensen  said, “People were concerned after corona about whether or not their lungs remain healthy, adding the concern was mainly raised by the youth and teenagers because even after infection they were recovering very fast as compared to the  general population."

Lungs are working the same as before

The study conducted in Stockholm included young people of average age 22 years — those born between 1994 and 1996. Before Corona, between 2016 and 2019, many types of tests were done on these people. Between October 2020 and May 2021, they contracted the infection.  Following the virus, lung function tests were conducted. Along with this, eosinophils and inflammation tests were also done.  Eosinophils is a part of the immune system. Among 661 infected people, antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were formed in the blood of 178. The test has proved that the working ability of the lungs, after recovering from corona infection, remained the same as before.