Daily infection among children stays within 15%

BHUBANESWAR: The daily percentage of Covid infection among children (0-18 age group) continues to be in the 12-15% range, providing some relief to the health administrators. The trend in the past one month indicates that the transmission among the unvaccinated is not as alarming as was being apprehended.
The health authorities had anticipated that children’s infection would go beyond 20%. On August 31, the infection rate had shot up to 17.24%, the highest so far.
Niranjan Mishra, director, public health, said vaccination of parents is a strong factor that has worked in minimising infection among children. “Even if we have some breakthrough infection (after vaccination) coming to the fore, that is marginal. We shouldn’t think that just because a minuscule number of vaccinated people are contracting the virus, parents are not protected. Parents are protected and the low infection of children is proof. Secondly, people are also not exposing their children much,” Mishra explained.
Experts said children are likely to be infected more because curbs have been lifted. “The working members of the family, who go out and return home carry the virus with them. The children are getting infected in the process. It is a concern but so far we have not seen it becoming alarming. Number of children needing hospitalisation is also quite less,” said Dr Manoj Sahu, senior gastroenterologist at SUM Hospital, who is overseeing Covid management.
On Sunday, the state reported 528 cases from 69,030 samples tested. Nine districts didn’t report a single infection while Khurda added 243 cases. The government confirmed five more Covid deaths, taking the toll to 8214.
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