Young people 10 to 19 years old are 1.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the six months after having COVID-19.
That's according to a study by researchers at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine in Ohio published last week.
Eileen Marty, a professor and expert in infectious diseases and disaster medicine at Florida International University, says the overall risk is significantly higher when compared to children who were vaccinated or who were infected with a different respiratory virus.
"I don't want to alarm parents and think 'Oh, my goodness my child is definitely going to get Type 2 diabetes if my child gets COVID.' That's not true."
"It's still a small percentage of the children, it's just much higher for those who are unvaccinated."
Whether diabetes persists or reverses later in life would need additional study.
Health experts are urging adults to vaccinate their children — and themselves — to protect against any potential consequences of a COVID-19 diagnosis.
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