Amid the rumors that the third wave will target children, shocking information has emerged from AIIMS Patna. During the Covaxin trials on children, over 20 percent of children were found to have the antibodies. Though these children have to history of coronavirus, antibodies have already developed inside their bodies.
Earlier, it was assumed that the third wave of coronavirus pandemic might harm children more. Following this, ICMR had approved the vaccine trials on children. Currently, there are eight centers in the country where the Covaxin clinical trials on children are being conducted including AIIMS, Patna.
According to Dr. Umesh Bhadani, Dean of AIIMS Patna, “children are examined before the trials. They have to undergo blood tests along with RT-PCR. Children of age group 12-18 years participated in the first phase. When the RT-PCR and blood test were conducted, antibodies were found in almost 20% of the participants.”
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“Participants with antibodies have no Covid history. In fact, none of their family members had contracted the virus so far,” he added. This means that children with antibodies were infected with Coronavirus but were asymptomatic and recovered without any medication.
The revelation indicates that if the case is similar in the majority of children, then they are safe from the third wave of coronavirus pandemic.
Earlier, AIIMS Delhi Director Dr. Randeep Guleria had said that there is no data, either from India or internationally, to show that in the next wave of Coronavirus children will be severely affected.
“It is a piece of misinformation that subsequent waves of the COVID-19 pandemic are going to cause severe illness in children. There is no data - either from India or globally - to show that children will be seriously infected in subsequent waves,” Dr. Guleria said.