Kolkata: Doctors want vaccine safety for kids as third wave fears loom

KOLKATA: With the US Food and Drug Administration having allowed Pfizer to inoculate12 to15 year-olds from this Monday and India’s very-own Covaxin having received the nod for trials on a vaccine for those aged between 2 and 18 years, expectations are high among city paediatricians about an effective vaccine that will help curb Covid among youngsters — thousands of whom have been afflicted in the last one month.
Even though the severity of cases has been moderate, the growing number is a worry, they say, pointing out that in case a third wave strikes, infants and children could turn out to be most vulnerable since they remain the only group out of the inoculation fold. Number of deaths could be higher, they warn. Unlike the first wave, pediatricians are alarmed at the rising number of youngsters affected with Covid this time and have made a strong plea for vaccinating for those aged 12 and above as soon as possible.
While the elderly and the middle-aged were most affected in 2020, this time the young adults and children have tested positive most frequently, said paediatrician Santanu Ray. “Almost every family with an adult Covid patient now has a young member who is affected. Their immunity has been breached more frequently this time, fortunately, though, cases have been less serious,” said Ray.
But he warned that children with co-morbidities — especially juvenile diabetes or congenital heart problems — have been suffering just as much as adults. “I have 16 children under my treatment now and though a few are in hospital, they happen to be pretty serious. One has a very serious lung condition and the other is suffering from a cardiac ailment that make them vulnerable,” he said.
RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS) chief consultant, paediatrician and neonatologist Indraneel Roy Choudhury agreed. “Along with younger population, children have been affected in large numbers this time. While the intensity of illness is low and hospitalization is less than1%, we can’t leave them out of the vaccination fold. It’s good that efforts are on to design a vaccine for them. Children could be the most affected group next,” said Roy Choudhury.
The vaccine for children should be introduced within the next 2-3 moths if possible, felt Roy Choudhury. “Initially, we had seen a lot of apprehensions about adult vaccines but they are gone now. So, in emergency any vaccine will help to save children’s lives,” he said.
Institute of Post-Graduate Medical Education & Research professor Diptendra Sarkar, however, felt that the third wave seemed inevitable and teenagers could turn out to be the largest affected group. “It should be a race against time to get the vaccine ready for those aged two and above,” said Sarkar.
Institute of Child Health director Apurba Ghosh felt a child vaccine will emerge soon, but it was still more important to save the elderly and the middle-aged. “We haven’t yet been able to inoculate the majority of the population. So, my priority will still be an adult vaccine than a juvenile one,” he said.