“It is a piece of misinformation that subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic are going to cause severe illness in children. There is no data, either from India or globally, to show that children will be seriously infected in subsequent waves,” AIIMS, Delhi Director Dr. Randeep Guleria said on Tuesday.

Addressing a media briefing at National Media Centre, Dr. Guleria said that 60% to 70% of the children who got infected and got admitted in hospitals during the second wave in India, had either comorbidities or low immunity. 

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Healthy children recovered with mild illness without any need for hospitalization, he pointed out.

Meanwhile, a National Expert Group has been formed to review COVID-19 infections in children and approach the pandemic in a renewed way, to strengthen the nation’s preparedness, the government’s top health adviser for Covid-19, Dr VK Paul had said last week.

“Though treatment of children who contract Covid-19 is not difficult, it has to be timely,” Dr. Paul explained.

“COVID-19 in children is often asymptomatic and rarely requires hospitalization. However, changes in epidemiological dynamics or viral behaviour can change the situation and increase prevalence of infection. No undue burden has been placed on paediatric care infrastructure so far. However, it is possible that 2% – 3% of children who get infected may need hospitalization,” Dr Paul said.