The epithelial lining in kids’ noses is better at fighting off SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication than the nasal cells in adults, Queensland researchers report.

Their findings, based on tissue samples from 38 healthy patients exposed to different strains of the virus, may explain why kids have been less susceptible to COVID-19 than adults.

The University of Queensland-led team found that both the ancestral strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the Delta variant replicated less efficiently in paediatric nasal epithelial cells at 24- and 48-hours post-infection.

Furthermore, the samples taken from the 23 children aged two to 11 years had a “heightened antiviral response” compared to those collected from the 15 adults in the study.