CDC estimates 84.5% of Iowa kids have had COVID

DES MOINES — The Centers for Disease Control estimates the vast majority of Iowa kids have had COVID.

The CDC analyzed samples from children between the ages of six months and 17 years who had blood drawn at commercial labs for non-COVID tests in May and June. The CDC estimates 84.5% of Iowa children had COVID or were recovering from an infection in late spring.

Having had COVID indicates a person likely has antibodies against the virus that prevent reinfection. A UCLA study of mild cases of COVID has found antibodies against COVID drop during the first three months and disappear after a year. The Mayo Clinic’s website shows the number of daily cases of COVID in Iowa has been dropping since the end of July.

The CDC estimates just under 80% of U.S. children had COVID or were recovering from an infection this spring. An earlier estimate from the agency indicated that by the end of April about 60% of U.S. adults either had an active case of COVID or had recovered from one recently.