Health officials have slammed alarmist media reports claiming high incidence of COVID-19 infection among children in Bengaluru.

The media reports were published as certain experts expressed their fear that children will be the most vulnerable section for the third wave of the coronavirus.

However, there has been no such increase in either cases or mortality. The argument made by some experts was that since adults are vaccinated, children would be left more vulnerable. However, there is no data to indicate that this is happening on the ground. 

To date, in Bengaluru, 19 (0.12% of total cases) children of the age group 0-9 have succumbed to COVID-19, according to official figures. Another 26 (0.17% of total case) in the age group 10 to 19 years, have died due to the virus. The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Bengaluru is 15,754.

“Alarmist media reports should be discouraged, especially ahead of talks of schools being set to be reopened. There is global evidence to suggest that children are less likely to be affected from COVID-19 compared to adults and the same has also been found in the recent Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) serosurvey. The serosurvey has shown that children had similar exposure to the virus but what we need, is studies representative of children at state and district levels. But across the world and even in India, there is hardly any mortality. If we consider other illnesses affecting children in India, COVID-19 is insignificant,”  Dr Anand Lakshman, a public health professional and CEO of Address Health said.

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