Covid-19 and children — An expert answers all your questions

More children have been infected in the second wave than in the first. Amid concerns about new variants , children’s health, and mental well-being as schools stay shut, what should parents do or not do? If parents fall ill, what changes in the way they take care of small children? What do they do if the child falls ill?

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Written by Dr Sheffali Gulati | New Delhi |
Updated: June 7, 2021 12:40:50 pm

Swab sample of a child is taken at terminal T-3 of IGI Airport, New Delhi. (PTI)

We keep hearing of a third wave of Covid-19, and that children will be the most vulnerable. Is that a real fear?

Several experts have warned that the third wave is likely to affect more children, as Singapore has already been reporting. One can get immunity either after infection or through vaccination. More adults have been getting infected in both the first and second waves. Vaccination has been approved for use in adults. The absolute number of children affected in the second wave seems more than in the first wave, probably due to overall increased numbers and entire families getting affected.

Are any of the new variants more dangerous for children than for adults?

The new mutations, particularly the B.1.167 variant, have been reported to be affecting younger children in a few countries like Singapore. However, there is no official confirmation at this stage as to how many children have been affected by the new variant in Singapore.

The B.1.1.7 strain is 60% more fatal than the original strain. It is believed that since the immunity of children is better, they are not getting seriously sick even after this mutant virus attack.