Experts urge parents to be cautious over 3rd Covid wave fear

BHUBANESWAR: Worried over the prediction that the third wave of Covid-19 would affect children more, experts have advised parents to take extra care of their wards. After the state government announced unlocking of markets and reopening of parks, people started taking children out and are also casual about safety guidelines.
Doctors said children staying at home are likely to get the infection from parents or elders, who are going out. “The parents should take care that they do not infect the children. All parents ensure that they have been vaccinated. As breakthrough infection is on the rise, they should follow Covid-appropriate behaviour even after vaccination. At home, the rooms should be well ventilated. Avoid taking the children to indoor gatherings like birthday parties and to large outdoor gatherings. Parents should make sure that the children are wearing properly fitted double masks whenever they are going out. The children should be given a healthy and nutritious diet, they should exercise and play regularly,” said senior physician Dr Niraj Mishra.
Apart from ensuring that children are following Covid-appropriate behaviour, parents must educate their children about hand washing and social distancing. Children should be taught cough etiquette while sneezing or coughing and their diet should be rich in antioxidants and fluids as these help boost immunity,” said Dr Chitta Ranjan Rath, a paediatrician. Expert also pointed out that there is nothing to panic as severity and mortality rate among children is very low. In the state the rate of infection among children is 12% of the total infection during the second wave. “It’s natural that the virus will affect everyone, including children. Otherwise, how come we have such a high seroprevalence among children in the fourth round of sero survey,” said Dr E Venkata Rao, professor of department of community medicine at SUM Hospital.
Rao said many parents are of the opinion that children should be first vaccinated before being sent to school. “However, the data shows that all the vaccines available today are able to protect against moderate to severe infection and not mild or asymptomatic cases. It indicates that the vaccine may not protect children from contracting Covid-19,” he said. Doctors said children must learn to protect themselves with the help of an active immune system. “Those who have a compromised immune system should strictly follow Covid appropriate behaviour,” Rao added.