“Are children at a high-risk for getting the coronavirus?”

I wouldn’t say high risk. They are at risk just like all age groups. However, they don’t manifest the same level of complications as adults. They can still contract the disease, can remain asymptomatic and spread it to others. They can develop complications of the disease itself. The percentage of complications are much lower compared to adults according to current articles. Therefore, it’s important to follow the CDC guidelines to social distance, wear masks, and wash hands. This applies to children as well. 
Thank you for your question. 

The likelihood of contracting coronavirus is not well understood, but overall appears to be quite low. Nevertheless, the infection can be very serious, so follow public health recommendations and keep informed about the status of the epidemic in your area.

Yes, but severe illness is unusual and complications are infrequent.

Thank you for your question and concern.
There is little information to let me draw any conclusion that the risk to get the current coronavirus infection is any different for children than for adults.
What we do now from the children who have been identified having the infection from China data that the disease has been milder in children. So children may have milder symptoms but may still be infected and may transmit the virus to others.

I don’t think we really know what the relative risks of contracting the virus are at this time. We do know that the elderly and those who have underlying chronic disabling conditions are at the highest risk for severe disease. At this point, there hasn’t really been much spread within the United States, so in that respect your children are certainly not at high risk. That could change over the next several weeks, but only time will tell. For now, other respiratory viruses are much more common in California: influenza, RSV, parainfluenza viruses, adenovirus, etc.
The only things I would do at this time to protect my children would be to keep them away from crowds and to have them wash or Purell their hands frequently. It also helps if they keep their hands away from their eyes and face, but that is a difficult thing for anybody to do, more so for a young child.
Please don’t spend a lot of time and energy worrying about the coronavirus just yet.

Randall Fisher, M.D.

Thanks for asking me.
The most important thing is PERSONAL HYGIENE MEASURES: washing the hands as often as possible, do not touch the eyes, nose, ears, keep you and the child out of the crowd, and avoid close contact with people sneezing and coughing. Statistically, the young children naturally ARE more so receptive to the coronavirus as the adults are. Avoid as much as possible malls, cinema theaters, restaurants, and any crowded place. It is hard to follow this advice but it is in the interest and for the safety of your children and for yourself too! Stay safe!