Covid-19 and paediatric surgery

Abstract A global pandemic, frequently referred to as Covid-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), affected healthcare throughout the world for several years from 2020, peaking in 2021, but with long-lasting effects and over 7 million deaths reported by April 2025. Infection by the virus usually causes less severe acute infection in children than in adults, but some specific life-threatening conditions were observed in children, including paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS). In addition, children’s health and long-term physical and emotional well-being have been impacted by the pandemic. The impacts of SARS-CoV-2 on children, and particularly on surgery in children, are discussed.