By Dr. Arun Wadhwa
The pandemic outbreak in 2020 had resulted in sudden lockdowns across the world, sending everyone, from children to adults, home to contain the spread of the virus. While lockdowns ended, life somewhat normalised for the adults. At the same time, different pharmaceutical companies across the globe were on their toes to develop a vaccine to provide immunity against the virus. In December 2020, people worldwide felt relief when the first vaccination received approval. Many other vaccines followed. The global community responded swiftly by vaccinating huge populations, significantly reducing hospitalisations and deaths. As of May 2022, 5.15 billion people across the globe are vaccinated.
However, after about 62.3 lakh deaths due to the SARS-CoV-2 and 51.2 crore cases during multiple waves and mutations, the world is still not free from the clutches of the virus. One less-talked-about section of the global community that has also been at the receiving end of this lethal pandemic is children. As the threat of COVID-19 still looms large, children remain unvaccinated. Schools have remained shut for the better part of the last two years, and children have been deprived of accessing outdoor spaces.
Let’s take a look at how children’s lives have changed because of the pandemic:
Impact of the virus on children
Even though the virus has not impacted children the way it impacted adults, their lives have completely transformed. The lockdowns followed by the spread of the virus locked children inside their homes with virtual classes, zero outdoor playtime, and no friends. As of March 2022, over 13,400 deaths were reported among those under 20, and 42% were among children in the 0-9 years age group. The numbers indicate that children are not entirely immune to the virus.
While the schools have reopened, the consistently increasing cases pose a threat to these children. Another COVID-19 wave would mean children returning to the virtual world. Many parents have been reporting behavioural and psychological issues among kids as they are not getting the childhood they should. This is a major worry among parents, and these issues will aggravate the continuous cycle of school-from-home and lockdowns.
Childhood is an important phase of children’s life where their interactions with the outside world shape their views and personality and lead to their growth. However, the two pandemic years locked children inside four walls of their houses, taking away precious years of their life. Reports have shown the impact of staying at home on children’s mental and physical health.
Even though it was important to keep children at home to keep them away from getting exposed to the virus, we have to agree they have suffered enough. While the schools have reopened, the consistently increasing cases pose a threat to these children. But we don’t have to keep our children locked in the houses anymore. The vaccines have been approved and children can have a normal childhood once they are jabbed. To ensure that kids do not lose more years of their childhood to the pandemic, they must be vaccinated.
Importance of vaccination
Vaccination is the most important way to curb the spread of the virus. Vaccines may not completely halt the spread, but they ensure a slower speed to protect children from severe illness. Widespread vaccination among children is likely to reduce the disease to an endemic level, which may not create problems as it is now.
Ending the pandemic also depends on achieving herd immunity. Vaccinating children means creating antibodies in >80-90% of the population, which will reduce the chances of getting infected or elongated suffering, thereby slowing the spread. Once there’s herd immunity across the population, the virus will not be able to transmit the way it is now.
Vaccinating children can end the pandemic
It has been challenging to control COVID-19 because it spreads from one person to the other through respiratory secretions and possibly through the air.
Here are some of the reasons why the coronavirus pandemic is not ending:
Not vaccinating a sufficient population leads to the continuous spread of the virus.
Multiple mutations in the virus reduce vaccines’ efficacy and long-term protection.
Massive inequality in vaccinations. Many developing countries couldn’t vaccinate even 30% of their population.
Children remain unvaccinated
Multiple studies on COVID-19 have indicated that the virus was mild in most children compared to adults. However, being unvaccinated, kids have unknowingly been the carrier of the virus. As per the US CDC data, among the children below 18 years, children 5-11 years of age group had the highest percentage of COVID-19 infection (38.3%), followed by the 12 to 15 years group indicating they can act as one of the significant sources for the transmission. It also means that once children are vaccinated, they will not be able to carry the virus anymore and halt the spread.
Conclusion
More than 30 countries have started vaccinating their kids as young as five years (in some countries, even the three years). The Indian government has undertaken the world’s largest vaccination drive covering different age groups based on the risk profile and bringing this age to 12 years and above currently.
India has approved two COVID-19 vaccines for children below 12 years of age. It is a ray of hope to end the pandemic. Since both these vaccines are already being given to adolescents, there is sufficient evidence of their safety. WHO has rightly said, no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe. Vaccination of the majority of the population globally, including children, can end this pandemic.
(The author is MBBS, MD, Pediatrics. The article is for informational purposes only. Please consult medical experts and health professionals before starting any therapy, medication and/or remedy. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
