"For almost every infectious disease, the most vulnerable populations are at the extremes of age—the very young and the very old," he once said. "But with COVID-19, the young are spared."

The picture surrounding this enigma is still incomplete, but answers are forthcoming.

Children Are Different

Children are not mini-adults. Depending on their age, they can have similar or very different responses to infectious diseases.

In the case of COVID-19, children generally experience a milder form of the disease.

"It's an interesting question that no one has fully answered," said Dr. Cody Meissner, a professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth College's Geisel School of Medicine, in an interview with The Epoch Times. "Several theories have been put forward to try and explain this."

The primary reason is that children have a faster innate immune system, often referred to as the first line of defense, compared to adults. This enables them to mount a robust defense against respiratory infections more quickly.

Another explanation is that children are more susceptible to respiratory infections, and some of these prior infections may provide them with a degree of immune protection against COVID-19.

Anatomically speaking, children not fully grown are at a disadvantage when exposed to respiratory diseases. They have smaller airway diameters, meaning more severe symptoms when the airways get inflamed or have mucus build up.

They also have a smaller lung capacity, making them more prone to hypoxia with respiratory infection, professor of immunology Kenneth Rosenthal, PhD, told The Epoch Times.