Is Covid attacking youngsters?

KOCHI: Lately, many online and offline media have been publishing news regarding an aggressive variant of Covid that has been attacking youngsters. But state health department officials and experts in Covid care claim  there is no scientific background to prove that the second wave of the pandemic is targeting youngsters more.

Across the world, there have been reports that people between 20 and 50 are more vulnerable to the virus in the second wave, said Dr Sulphi N, state secretary of Indian Medical Association (IMA). However, he added the reports were not based on any scientific study, but limited statistics.

“Mostly, younger people go out for work and interact with the outside world more. So, they are more vulnerable. Most people above 45 are vaccinated by now and they have lesser chances of getting affected in the second wave. There are also reports that in the second wave, villages are affected more.

This usually happens because the city is partially closed and there is more awareness among city-dwellers,” he added.Senior scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research also seconded the opinion that Covid affecting more youngsters has no scientific ground. However, integrated research is being done at the headquarters in New Delhi.

Dr Sriram Venkitaraman, joint secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare joint, said though there is an observable pattern, with the statistics currently available at the department, it is too early to claim that the youngsters are more vulnerable during the second wave.