KOZHIKODE: The anticipated third wave of Covid is unlikely to be severe on children and there is not need get panic, said the experts during a national conference on Covid and Children which concluded on Sunday. The two-day conference which held online was organised jointly by the Department of Pediatrics, Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, National Health Mission and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics and was attended by 35 experts.
According to the experts, it is normal that children, who haven’t been vaccinated, will be more susceptible to the disease after those over 18 years of age will be vaccinated. “This is only an inference and is not because of any genetic mutation occurred in the virus as speculated in the social media,” said a news release issued after the conference.
It is said that compared to elders, the severity of the disease is less among children and it is not scientifically proved that this will change in the third wave. Therefore, there is no need to press the panic button. However, the experts also said the vaccination for children need not be delayed. The conference also expressed concern over the psychological and social impact of Covid among children that are more severe than physical issues.
It asked the government and the society to come forward to help the affected to tide over the crisis. Loss of parents in the pandemic, loss of income of the parents, the psychological issues emanated from the closure of schools and online education are the crucial issues that need to be addressed. The local bodies in the state can effectively envisage projects to solve the problems, the conference said.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the conference at a function which was presided over by Health Minister Veena George. Kozhikode Medical College principal Dr V R Rajendran, MLA Thottathil Raveendran, Indian Academy of Pediatrics national president Dr Ramesh and others attended the function.