More children are testing positive in the second Covid wave but the infection is mostly mild and the mortality rate low, say experts, citing increased testing and enhanced understanding of symptoms as among the possible reasons for the rising graph. Though there is enough anecdotal evidence of COVID-19 catching children early teens and younger there is little reason to panic, said several doctors and scientists. They also stressed on the urgent need to vaccinate children to stem the spread of the infection. There is a general increase or shift in infection numbers towards children and younger groups as compared to older people, agreed virologist Upasana Ray.
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New Delhi, May 25
More children are testing positive in the second Covid wave but the infection is mostly mild and the mortality rate low, say experts, citing increased testing and enhanced understanding of symptoms as among the possible reasons for the rising graph.
Though there is enough anecdotal evidence of COVID-19 catching children – early teens and younger – there is little reason to panic, said several doctors and scientists. They also stressed on the urgent need to vaccinate children to stem the spread of the infection.
There is a general increase or shift in infection numbers towards children and younger groups as compared to older people, agreed virologist Upasana Ray. This could be because the virus had already infected more of the older age groups last year, leading to the development of immunity in those who recovered from various degrees of the infection.
Vaccinating class 12 students before board exams important but impractical at present
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Last Updated: May 24, 2021, 06:08 PM IST
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Assam, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and Meghalaya have also urged the central government to vaccinate teachers and students on priority to ensure their safety during their time at the test centre.
Reuters
The demand by several states, including Kerala and Delhi, to vaccinate class 12 students before conducting board exams is a pertinent point but seems to be impractical at present, several health and education experts have said. During a high-level meeting called by Ministry of Education to decide the fate of pending class 12 board exams, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had demanded that students be vaccinated before conducting class 12 board exams.