‘Effects of COVID-19 lesser on children than adults’

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Complications higher for children with health problems: Dr Al-Azmi

KUWAIT CITY, April 20: Pediatric and emergency medicine consultant Dr Marzouq Al-Azmi says the COVID-19 has lesser effect on children than on adults, reports Al-Anba daily. In a press statement, he explained that, when the virus outbreak began, there was a belief among many that it does not affect children.

However, this is not true even though the effects of COVID-19 infection are noticed to be a lot lesser in children than in adults. Most of the studies that were conducted in the beginning in China confirmed this fact.

According to recent reports issued by CDC in America, children constitute 1.7 percent of COVID-19 victims. This is a very small percentage.

The symptoms are usually less evident and mild on adults such as high body temperature, coughing and difficulty in breathing. And the need for them to seek services in hospitals is less.

Complications are higher for children with health problems such as heart and respiratory problems compared to those who do not have any health problems. The death rate among children due to COVID-19 is very less.

Regarding complications and side effects after recovery, Dr Al-Azmi said the world is today faced with a new virus due to which continuous and periodic follow-up of all cases that have been infected and recovered are required and studies must be conducted on the long run, but most cases of children so far did not require hospitalization and are in good health. He revealed that there are many viruses that infect children, especially during winter time. The most common is the RSV virus, which causes inflammation in the bronchi, especially for infants less than one year old.

In addition, there is the seasonal flu, which begins with the advent of the winter season. Most of these infections are countered with the seasonal fl u vaccinations as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to reduce its effect. Researches on finding a vaccination to prevent RSV virus are still ongoing.

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