Empowered groups to plan children-specific strategy amid 3rd wave concerns

The Centre has begun work on strategy and protocol for management of possible Covid-19 infections in children, ET has learnt. Region-specific strategies linked to positivity rate besides weekly screening in schools, when they reopen, are under discussion, officials confirmed.

PM Modi has asked the empowered groups to look at all aspects related to management of Covid-19 in children. The first group will identify infection management in hospital, home and school/college settings in the event of re-opening of physical campus and identify child-specific resources from pediatric wards to supplies and resources that may be needed in case of any surge in infections among children.

The second group has been asked to prepare a roadmap for mobilising resources, equipment, supplies and infrastructure that may be indicated by the first group as necessary requirements for future scenarios. Hectic meetings are on to formulate a clear children-specific strategy in the next 2-3 weeks. A region-specific plan ion positivity rate is being considered too.

“The concern is whenever schools and colleges reopen, we may have more children getting infection. We need a clear strategy for management of such a situation besides vaccination of children when all approvals come,” All India Institute of Medical Sciences director Randeep Guleria told ET.

“A lot of discussion and brainstorming is underway for the same and it is felt that a region-specific strategy tied to prevalent positivity levels may serve the purpose best.” Guleria said that it is inevitable that educational institutes have to be opened one day and the challenge was considerable given there are shared dining hall facilities besides shared toilets. The challenge is even bigger in hostels and residential institutes.

“Children may not require hospitalisation but even mild infections will necessitate isolation. Also, screening will have to be scaled up significantly to prevent spread. Accordingly, we are discussing options like necessitating regular screening of students at institutes, weekly rapid antigen testing to identify cases in time and creation of isolation facilities for children. While a lot of the reopening of institutes will depend on how the pandemic behaves, it is necessary that we have a proper protocol in place,” Guleria said.

The need to protect children has been necessitated by the fact that trials are still underway for vaccination of children and it will be a while before vaccines could protect them. B.1.617.2 is, meanwhile, under watch for its age-specific impact. Singapore, which saw a surge in cases linked to B.1.617 has reported more infections in children. Public Health England is examining the impact of the variant on children.