Health experts and officials have slammed alarmist media reports claiming high incidence of COVID-19 infection among children in Bengaluru. The media reports were published as certain experts expressed their fear that children will be the most vulnerable section for the third wave of the coronavirus. However, there has been no such increase in either cases or mortality. The argument made by some experts was that since adults are vaccinated, children would be left more vulnerable. However, there is no data to indicate that this is happening on the ground. In the week between August 5 and August 11, a total of 337 (13.7%) persons of the age group 0-19 years of age were infected in Bengaluru compared to the total cases at 2,455. There have been no deaths reported in more than one month in this age category and no increase in serious disease, BBMP officials said.
Till date, in Bengaluru, 19 (0.12% of total cases) children of the age group 0-9 have succumbed to COVID-19, according to official figures. Another 26 (0.17% of total case) in the age group 10 to 19 years, have died due to the virus. The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Bengaluru is 15,754.
“Alarmist media reports should be discouraged, especially ahead of talks of schools being set to be reopened. There is global evidence to suggest that children are less likely to be affected from COVID-19 compared to adults and the same has also been found in the recent Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) serosurvey. The serosurvey has shown that children had similar exposure to the virus but what we need, is studies representative of children at state and district levels. But across the world and even in India, there is hardly any mortality. If we consider other illnesses affecting children in India, COVID-19 is insignificant,” Dr Anand Lakshman, a public health professional and CEO of Address Health said.
He added, “Even though ICMR has recommended opening of schools for junior classes, the government is keen on opening schools for higher classes first. This is not recommended as older children will be like adults in COVID perspective as their ACE2 receptors (a protein on the surface of cells that the SARS-CoV-2 virus could likely bind to) are more adult-like.”
Dr Pradeep Banandur, member of the state level Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and professor at the Centre for Public Health, NIMHANS said, “Cases in children are likely to increase given that there is no vaccines for them yet but even then, 95% of them will be asymptomatic and won’t require any medical intervention.”