Research about COVID-19 and people with Down syndrome

Key points about Down syndrome and COVID-19

Adults with Down syndrome (particularly those over the age of 40, and younger individuals with significant comorbidities) are at increased risk for more severe outcomes following infection with COVID-19. ¹

Children with Down syndrome are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 than the general paediatric population. Efforts should be made to ensure comprehensive and early detection of COVID-19 in children, and to identify children with Down syndrome who have comorbidities placing them at risk. ²

Down syndrome is included in these high-risk conditions that increase a person’s risk of becoming severely ill and needing to go to the hospital if they are sick with COVID-19. ³

Particular care should be considered for both the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in people with Down syndrome. ⁴

People with Down syndrome often have underlying medical conditions that can place them “at increased risk” or possibly at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. ⁴

Information on Down syndrome and COVID-19 from the Trisomy Research Society

Visit the T21 Research Society website.

Key research papers on Down syndrome and COVID-19

COVID-19 in Children with Down Syndrome: Data from the Trisomy 21 Research Society Survey
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.25.21259525v1

Individuals with Down syndrome hospitalized with COVID-19 have more severe disease
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41436-020-01004-w

Medical vulnerability of individuals with Down syndrome to severe COVID-19
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537021000493

References

^{1. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.03.20225359v1}

^{2. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.06.25.21259525v1}

^{3. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html}

^{4. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41436-020-01004-w}