April 12, 2021

 Scientists report more infections in kids during the ‘2nd wave’ of Covid

The coronavirus second wave is spreading like a wildfire and it feels like the disease is here to stay for long. While India is recording the highest number of coronavirus cases as it grapples with a second wave of the pandemic. But the massive surge of the virus is not limited to India, there are several countries that have been affected by the second wave. In fact, many countries are reporting a surge in groups that were believed to be less vulnerable to the disease. 

More Kids Infected During The Second Wave Of Coronavirus

A new study has found that preschool and school children in Germany have been infected with the coronavirus, three to four times more than reported via PCR testing during the second wave. Preschool children showed an antibody frequency of 5.6 per cent from October 2020 to February 2021, whereas it was 8.4 per cent among school children between November 2020 and February 2021. As per the study results, the antibody frequency at the end of the second wave was eight times higher compared to the end of the first wave. 

Anette-Gabriele Ziegler, from Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, German Research Centre for Environmental Health, Munich-Neuherberg, Germany said, “Children are often said to be less likely infected compared to adults. However, the data for this assumption is sparse. The results of our study clearly show that both preschool and school children are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.” 

For the study, the team enrolled 446 children who tested positive in the second wave. The proportion of antibody-positive children without symptoms was 68 per cent among preschoolers, whereas it was 51.2 per cent among school-aged children. This time a SARS-CoV-2 antibody frequency was six times more than it was during the first wave in Germany in spring 2020.

Similar Situation In India

As per reports, more children have contracted the coronavirus during the second wave of the pandemic. Over 79 thousand children have been infected by the virus in the worst-hit states alone. One of the reasons experts believe the infection in children is overlooked is because they show mild symptoms. However, if new reports are to be believed, children are more symptomatic now than they were during the first wave of the coronavirus.

Source: https://www.thehealthsite.com/news