New Delhi: Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Director Dr. Randeep Guleria on Tuesday said that no data to show children will be seriously infected in subsequent COVID-19 waves.
During a media briefing on COVID-19, held at National Media Centre, Dr. Guleria said, “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.”
Dr. Guleria cited that 60% to 70% of the children who got infected and got admitted to hospitals during the second wave in India, had either comorbidities or low immunity; healthy children recovered with mild illness without need for hospitalization.
Director AIIMS also explained why waves occur in any pandemic.
“Waves normally occur in pandemics caused due to respiratory viruses; the 1918 Spanish Flu, H1N1 (swine) flu are examples. The second wave of 1918 Spanish Flu was the biggest, after which there was a smaller third wave,” said Dr. Guleria.
