The SEROCoV-KIDS study was established in 2021 as a prospective population-based cohort and biobank to assess the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of children and adolescents in Geneva, Switzerland. The study aims to document pandemic-related effects across physical, mental, developmental and educational domains and to examine inequalities by focusing both on the general population and on subgroups with potential vulnerabilities, including prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, chronic health conditions, and socioeconomic disadvantage.
A total of 2,199 children and adolescents aged 6 months to 17 years were enrolled from 1,340 households. Of these, 2,048 participants were recruited from the general population and 151 were recruited via clinics, representing children with chronic health conditions. Baseline data collection took place between December 2021 and June 2022.
At baseline participants provided blood samples that served two purposes: diagnostic serological testing for prior SARS-CoV-2 infection and long-term storage in the cohort biobank. In addition, comprehensive questionnaires were completed by a referent adult for younger participants and directly by adolescents aged 14 and older, capturing a wide range of health and social variables.
The cohort conducted five follow-up online assessments through October 2026. These repeated measures addressed:
This longitudinal design enabled assessment of trajectories over time and associations between baseline exposures and later outcomes.
To enrich the quantitative findings, the investigators performed a cross-sectional qualitative study between October 2023 and March 2024. This qualitative component targeted socioeconomically disadvantaged families to capture contextual, experiential and nuanced information about the pandemic’s impacts that may not be fully reflected in survey measures.
In the population-based sample at baseline, 66.3% of participants tested seropositive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibodies, indicating prior infection. Symptoms consistent with post-COVID-19 condition were reported by 4.1% of participants.
Overall, most children were minimally or not at all affected by the pandemic and demonstrated generally good mental health across the study period. Reported pandemic impacts were heterogeneous: 8% of participants reported a positive impact, while between 8% and 13% reported negative impacts. The principal negative effects related to disrupted routines and reduced social support.
Health behaviour measures such as physical activity and sleep remained largely stable over follow-up. However, higher screen time at baseline was associated with poorer well-being during observation.
The study identified that children with chronic health conditions and those experiencing socioeconomic and family disadvantage were disproportionately affected by the pandemic’s health and psychosocial consequences. These differential impacts were evident in measures of well-being and other outcomes collected in the cohort.
SEROCoV-KIDS illustrates the value of child-focused prospective cohorts combined with a biobank for understanding the short- and medium-term consequences of major societal events on youth. The mixed-methods design, population-based recruitment, clinic-recruited vulnerable participants, repeated follow-up assessments, serology and biobanked samples strengthen the study’s capacity to inform evidence-based policy.
The investigators state their next priority is to secure funding to extend cohort follow-up and maintain systematic surveillance of children and adolescents so that emerging findings can inform public health and education policy in coming years. Specific funding details or timelines were not reported in the source.
SEROCoV-KIDS provides population-level serological data, longitudinal measures of health and well-being, and qualitative insights into socioeconomically disadvantaged families. Findings to date show high baseline seropositivity, low prevalence of self-reported post-COVID-19 condition symptoms, generally stable health behaviours, and disproportionate adverse effects among children with chronic conditions or socioeconomic disadvantage. The study team aims to continue follow-up pending future funding to support ongoing policy-relevant surveillance.