BHOPAL: Heading into the festive season, medical experts see a silver lining to break the chain of Covid-19 and its impact on children. Six in ten people in Bhopal are fully vaccinated. Moreover, there seems to be decline in the cases of viral pneumonia in children.
“Opening of schools has not had an impact on the prevailing seasonal infections. We have not registered any Covid-related death in adult or children in weeks,” said Bhopal district chief medical and health officer (CMHO) Dr Prabhakar Tiwari.
This increasing evidence is yet to be backed by figures that indicates a dip in viral pneumonia in children. The adolescent age group which was mostly isolated from large social interaction, is moving out and the resulting fear of infection looms large on parents’ mind.
Child specialist and Roshan hospital director, Dr Rakesh Sukheja is an optimist. He stresses on herd immunity, vaccination and natural ability to fight out infection. “Broadly speaking, natural immunity to counter infections has reduced in children. They were in an isolated environment since the pandemic hit. Week on week, there is a dip in viral pneumonia infections in children,” said Dr Sukheja.
“We have to adapt to Covid-19 like we have adapted to H1N1 and similar infections. Herd immunity backed by vaccination is vital to break the chain the infection. We are almost there,” he added.
Covid-19 mutations and its resistance remains a debate and research in progress. City’s largest tertiary care hospital like others in the state continue to deal with children with severe illnesses related to Covid-19. However, multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) has been ruled out by Gandhi Medical College (GMC) experts.
With schools reopening, the immunization and adolescent health care system is likely return to normal levels. Preliminary reports by health department for April to May this year, shows a dip in state-supported care for teens. Vitamin A syrup, zinc 20 mg tablet, Albendazole 400 mg tablet, calcium tablets was listed as zero in the preliminary report for Bhopal.
Adolescent-friendly health clinics (AFHC) catered to 54 girls and 70 boys, which is less than 1% of the all teens covered across the state during the two months.
Out of those registered, girls and boys who received clinical services was nil in Bhopal.
