Children contracting the original virus have a better chance of fighting the infection in case it strikes back: ASSOCHAM

ASSOCHAM “illness to wellness” campaign seeks to highlight salient points regarding vaccination in children

The Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) had organised a webinar on “COVID-19 VACCINATION FOR CHILDREN” under its “illness to wellness” campaign which seeks to highlight salient points regarding vaccination in children.

Anil Rajput, Chairperson, ASSOCHAM CSR Council said, “COVID-19 has upended the life of children, and children’s health is one of the most important issues in sustainable development goals. Although the infection has been less severe for children one cannot ignore the importance of vaccination, and with rising cases of Omicron there is a high risk for children specially who have underlying medical conditions like Asthama, obesity, heart diseases etc”

Dr G. C. Khilnani, Ex-Head & Professor, Department of Pulmonary Medicine & Sleep Disorders, AIIMS, New Delhi Chairman, PSRI Institute of Pulmonary Critical Care & Sleep Medicine said, “There are incidences of increased obesity amongst parents and this has a direct bearing on children as they will watch their parents itself, with this, there are concerns over increasing alcoholism and child abuse that has come with the social isolation and altercations between the parents themselves and even worse is the loss of a parent that the child may go through during the Pandemic. There is also the issue of increased screen time that the children are facing with all the education and classes taking place in online form due to the Pandemic.”

Elaborating on children’s specific responses, Dr Amita Mahajan Sr. Consultant, Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, “The treatment has varying and differing effects on every child and asymptomatic children will have a more severe impact, and thus steps were taken to limit exposure to the infection, as it was seen that indirect impact was more severe in children with cancer. It is a fact that healthy children do not suffer so badly, unlike children who already have an underlying disease like cancer. The vaccination for high-risk children population has not yet been approved by the DCGI and in the west, only children above 5 years of age are being immunized, the DCGI is carefully deliberating the risk to benefit ratio. Although the pediatric vaccination will build confidence as soon as some degree of vaccination is rolled out.”

Dr Rajesh Kesari, Founder, and Director, Total Care Control said, “The most effective arsenal against this virus is the vaccine, our country has made great strides in process of vaccination and India has taken one of the biggest steps, but are these steps enough, as children are being isolated which is making them irritable and depressed, and with the rising burden with the parents to maintain a family discussion on the new variant and children’s vaccination becomes imperative.”