Soothing news for families with children

Possible 3rd wave unlikely to affect children more: WHO-AIIMS Survey

The conclusion drawn by a joint WHO-AIIMS Survey that a possible third wave of Covid-19, if it ever comes, is unlikely to affect children more has come as a big relief to parents and healthcare professionals.

It was causing a lot of concern and anxiety all around and parents were scared about the outcome of the third wave if it caused consequences for children.

The only saving grace for the entire covid-19 pandemic till date has been that children have not been much affected. Somehow, children were spared the tribulations that others had to go through during the two waves that India had to suffer and even elsewhere in the world.

The joint survey was conducted in five states and the sample size was 10,000 which is good enough to throw up some solid scientific inferences.

The survey found that the uninfected children developed antibodies better than the uninfected adults. The conclusion was drawn that the virus variant is unlikely to disproportionately affect children compared to adults.

Even before this, a Lancet report had confirmed on Sunday that there was no evidence to conclude that children can be highly affected by a third wave and the disease could be more severe for them.

That report found that most kids will have a fever with respiratory signs with gastro-intestinal signs and atypical manifestation compared with adults. And that the proportion of symptomatic kids will increase as age increases as does the severity in such age teams.

What it effectively suggests is that the younger the child, the better its resistance.

Even the WHO-AIIMS survey concludes – “…there seems to be no substantial proof to recommend that kids could be extra affected or would have larger sickness severity as a result of Covid-19 infection within the anticipated third wave.”

It adds: “… kids have a milder illness, higher prognosis, and low mortality compared to adults.”

That is a soothing news for all families that are concerned for the well-being of their children.