No mask for kids below 5, steroids harmful for asymptomatic cases: Centre's revised Covid guidelines

In the guidelines, the Union health ministry said that Steroids for treatment of Covid-19 should be done at the right time and for the right duration, and must be avoided in the first three to five days since the onset of symptoms.

The Union ministry of health and family welfare on Thursday issued guidelines for several measures for citizens as another wave has triggered massive spike in daily Covid-19 cases. The guidelines include use of steroids for treatment of Covid-19, mask usage among small children and also dealing with post recovery complications.

Children aged 12 and above can wear masks under the same conditions as that of an adult, the Union health ministry's revised Covid-19 guidelines said on Thursday, January 20, 2022. (Keshav Singh/HT)

The guidelines come on a day India recorded yet another major surge in its daily Covid-19 tally with 317,532 individuals testing positive for the virus, as per Union health ministry data. The overall death toll also witnessed a spike after 491 patients succumbed to Covid-19 as against 441 on Wednesday. India's cumulative Covid-19 caseload has now climbed to 38,218,773, the health ministry data revealed.

Meanwhile, the Omicron count of India is nearing a whopping 10,000 with 9,287 infections of the highly transmissible ‘variant of concern’ confirmed in the country so far.

The ‘Revised Comprehensive Guidelines for Management of Covid-19 in Children and Adolescents (below 18 years)’ released by the health ministry comes amid the Omicron surge in the country. The guidelines were reviewed by a group of experts in wake of the current scenario in India.

Here are top 10 important points to be noted from the guidelines:

1. Children aged five and below have been recommended not to wear masks. Those aged 6-11 can use it, depending on the child's ability to wear a mask properly and under the direct supervision of parents.
2. Those aged 12 and above can wear masks under the same conditions as that of an adult.
3. Use of antivirals of monoclonal antibodies have not been suggested for people aged below 18, regardless of the severity of Covid-19 infection. However, in case steroids are used, they should be “tapered over 10-14 days” subject to clinical improvement.
4. Covid-19 patients who are asymptomatic as well as have mild symptoms, antimicrobials are not advised for therapy or prophylaxis. In moderate and severe cases, antimicrobials should only be given if there is a “clinical suspicion of a superadded infection,” the Union health ministry stated.
5. Steroids are harmful in asymptomatic and mild cases of Covid-19. The ministry said that they are only recommended in hospitalised, severe and critically ill Covid-19 cases under 'strict supervision".
6. Steroids for treatment of Covid-19 should be done at the right time, in the right dosage, and for the right duration, the ministry cautioned.
7. Steroids should be avoided in the first three to five days since the onset of Covid-19 symptoms because it extends viral shedding.
8. For post Covid-19 care among children, the health ministry guidelines suggested that for asymptomatic or mild cases, they should receive "routine childcare, appropriate vaccination (if eligible), nutrition counselling, and psychological support of follow up."
9. Parents or caregivers of kids, who battled moderate to severe Covid-19 infection, should be counselled during discharge from hospital in relation to monitoring for persistence or deterioration of respiratory difficulty, and also explained the “indications for bringing the child back to the facility.”
10. Children who develop organ dysfunction during hospital stay (for treatment of Covid-19) or subsequently, must receive appropriate care, the Union health ministry guidelines stated.

(With inputs from PTI)