Nose cells help children fight off COVID-19.
Nose cells help kids to fight off Covid
Laboratory tests suggest that youngsters are less likely than adults to develop severe forms of the virus as the cells are better at fighting off the disease.
Analysis showed that adult nose cells contain 100 times more virus in the first few days after infection and could explain why kids are very rarely seriously ill with the condition.
Scientists were keen to study the nose as it is the first place in which Covid enters the body and have recommended anti-viral treatments that are tailored for different age groups.
Dr. Clare Smith, study leader from University College London, said: "Understanding the cellular differences at the initiation of infection is just the beginning.
"We now hope to investigate the long-term implications of these cellular changes and test therapeutic interventions using our unique cell culture model."