Increased incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes during the COVID ‐19 pandemic. Figures from an Italian tertiary care center

Highlights In 2021 as a whole we report an increase (22% to 35%) in incidence of type 1 diabetes compared to the years 2017 to 2020. A peak of incidence in the last 4 months of 2021, when the "fourth wave" of COVID-19 peaked in Italy, has been observed. In the last quarter of 2021 there was a significant increased type 1 diabetes incidence in the age group under 12 years. We speculate that SARS-CoV-2 infection may have had an impact on type 1 diabetes incidence in children, especially in age groups not protected by vaccination.