In the first wave of the Corona epidemic where the most elderly people were infected. At the same time, in the second wave, the target of the coronavirus was the young population. Now experts are apprehending that if a third wave comes into the country, it could prove fatal for the children. This has also happened in other countries of the world. Experts have feared that the third wave of corona in India may arrive by September. Experts in pediatric and infectious diseases have said that the government should start a child immunization program as soon as possible, otherwise children under the age of 18 may be severely affected in the third wave of the corona.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Nitin Shinde says that vaccination of children is very important. Otherwise, the third wave of corona will engulf these children, who could not get vaccinated. Vaccination has started for citizens between 18 and 44 years of age in the country. Many people above this age group have already received the vaccine safety cover. So now the virus will target people who do not have this protection.
The second wave engulfed in large numbers
Experts say that even though the coronavirus is not currently causing serious complications in children, the number of infected children has increased significantly in the second wave. In the second wave, children are more infected in cities like Mumbai Pune than in the first wave. Although children do not go into a critical condition, they are carriers of infection. Although children can infect the elderly. So to avoid this, we need vaccines for children.
Herd immunity is not possible without vaccination of children
- The vaccine has now started being introduced for citizens of 18-45 years old but the deprived age group is 0-18 years old.
- This group constitutes 30 percent of the total population of the country.
- It will not be possible to get herd immunity without vaccination for children.
- Children are the carriers of infection and they can continue to infect people in the third wave.
- Opening of the school will be a major step towards normalization, which is possible only after the vaccination of children.
BMC started making Kovid ward for children
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government are jointly setting up a pediatric covid care ward in the city, looking at the possibility that the child may be affected by the corona in the third wave of Kovid. Fearing a third wave of Kovid, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray last week directed all the district collectors and municipal commissioners of the state to be prepared for the third attack. Maharashtra Tourism Minister Aditya Thackeray, who is the custodian minister of the Mumbai suburban district, has discussed BMC Mayor Kishori Pednekar, Additional Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal, and other top officials in this regard. He suggested BMC create separate pediatric covid care wards anticipating the next wave.
Second wave expected to end by end of May
On the prediction of the coronavirus case, the government's mathematical modeling expert M. Vidyasagar suggested that the coronavirus may be seen in India by May 7. On the question of ending the second wave of Corona, he said that by the end of May, Corona cases will be reduced rapidly. The daily figure of new corona cases will be reduced to 1.2 lakh a day. He made it clear that we are not saying that Corona cases will be reduced to zero in the country, but there will be a significant decline.
The third wave of corona may come in India: Guleria
Meanwhile, Dr. Randeep Guleria, director of AIIMS Delhi, has warned that if the virus continues to be mutants in the future, the third wave of a pandemic may occur in India. He said that the basic infrastructure of hospitals would have to be strengthened first to avoid the current situation and future danger of the epidemic. After this, the speed of vaccination and reduction in cases will have to be increased rapidly. Guleria said that a strict lockdown of sufficient duration has become necessary to avoid serious threats. Only then can the chain of infection be broken.
Children can get permission to vaccinate in America soon
The US is now preparing to vaccinate children between 12 and 15 years old. The US agency Food and Drug Administration may allow the Pfizer Company's Corona vaccine to vaccinate children over 12 years of age from next week. If a US government official is to be believed, two doses of the vaccine may be allowed for children in the next week or so. The FDA will convene a meeting of the Federal Vaccine Advisory Committee with an interim seal on the decision and recommend vaccines for children aged 12 to 15 years. At the same time, it may take more than a year for the vaccination of children in India.