Dhananjay Sarji, child specialist and member of Shivamogga district level experts’ panel on COVID-19, has said parents need not worry about their children as the virus has weakened in the third wave of the pandemic.
He spoke in a press conference of the experts’ panel at the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Shivamogga on Monday.
Anti-bodies have already developed in a majority of children. Chances of affecting children would be less. The infection that spread through children could help in creating herd immunity, bringing down the impact of the virus.
Children, even if infected, would get symptoms like fever, cold and cough. They would become normal after a couple of days. The fever would come down after two to three days. The parents could consult if there was the severity of infection. The doctors would prescribe medicine meant for normal fever. Only those children with other serious health problems would require extra care, he said.
Srikanth Hegde, another member, said the number of people getting admitted to hospitals had come down in the third wave. Only people with comorbidities had difficulties in recovering. If all the people get vaccinated with two doses, the pandemic could be tackled, he said.
He also favoured that schools and colleges should remain open and parents need not worry about sending their children to schools. The closure of schools for several months had led to many social and psychological problems.
Manjunatha Swamy, Priyamavada, Shambhulinga and Patil, all members of the panel, were present.
