Silver lining for Maharashtra: No COVID-19 death among kids below 10

As on June 10, kids below the age of 10 accounted for only 3.3 per cent of Maharashtra's total COVID-19 cases. Further, there has been no death reported so far in the particular age group till now. Pediatricians, however, urge parents to continue taking precautions to keep their young ones safe.

Mumbai:Though Maharashtra has been the worst-affected state due to COVID-19, what might come as the lone silver-lining for the state is the fact that it has not reported a single death among children below the age of 10.

As on June 10, Maharashtra had reported over 94,000 COVID-19 positive cases. Out of them, only 2,985 were children below the age of 10. This means that the probability of kids below the age of 10 contracting the virus is just 3.3 per cent as of now, which comes as a huge relief for parents who are taking utmost care to protect their children.

However, pediatricians warned that the above was not an excuse to be lax, as proper care must still be taken to prevent children from contracting the disease.

Dr Pallavi Saple, dean of JJ Hospital, said that parents must make sure that kids are vaccinated to protect them from other preventable diseases. She said that many parents have deferred the vaccination of their children due to the lockdown and fear of coronavirus.

Sr Saple advised parents to not put off vaccination, and also make sure that kids do not venture out of homes unnecessarily, and develop a habit of cleaning their hands frequently.

President of Maharashtra Medical Council Dr Shivkumar Utture said that it was a good sign that the rate of infections among children below the age of 10 is low not only in Maharashtra, but the entire world.

Children below the age of 10 years are generally vaccinated and their immunity is strong, which means they usally don't suffer from major illnesses, Utture said. However, he made it clear that the above does not mean kids are immune to COVID-19, urging parents to continue taking proper precautions for their kids.

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