COVID-19: Children Mostly Asymptomatic, But Can Spread The Disease, Says Government.

Children mostly asymptomatic for COVID:  With reports emerging of more children showing symptoms of COVID-19 during the second wave, the government said on Tuesday, that according to the existing evidence, kids are mostly asymptomatic to COVID-19. However, it was added that they are still able to spread the disease.

Niti Aayog member-health Dr VK Paul said that people should encourage children to wear masks and follow COVID appropriate behaviour.

He also added that a clear cut protocol is already available on the subject, and should be followed if COVID symptoms are seen in children. According to the World Health Organisation, there seems to be a very limited direct impact of COVID-19 on child mortality, as per the available evidence.

Although children may be less vulnerable to the disease in the present, they carry a higher viral load as compared to adults after getting infected. A study by the Massachusetts General Hospital and Mass General Hospital, found that out of 192 children who particpated, 49 tested COVID-19 positive and had a greater amount of viral load in their airways.

As per a report in USA Today, the research was conducted on children who were suspected of contracting the disease or had developed COVID symptoms. The study also found that out of the 49 children who tested positive for COVID, only half were running a temperature.

Dr Alessio Fasano, the senior author of the study said that children should not be discounted as potential spreaders for the disease due to a significantly high viral load in them.

Dr Fasano, who is also the director of Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center at the Massachusetts General Hospital, also said that as kids are the possible source of spreading the virus, it should be taken into account in the planning for reopening schools.

At present, there is no COVID vaccine available for children in India, however, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin has been granted permission for phase two and three trials on children, which may be the first vaccine for children in India if approved.

Earlier this month, United States approved. Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 for children aged 12 to 15 years. Read more on that here.

Image Credit: DNA India