Possible 3rd wave of Covid unlikely to affect children, reveals WHO-AIIMS survey
The SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity rate among children was high in comparison to the adults in the survey that was conducted in five selected states with a total sample size of 10,000 by WHO-AIIMS.
A possible third wave of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in India is unlikely to disproportionately affect children than adults, a seroprevalence study conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has revealed, reported news agency ANI.
The SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity rate among children was high in comparison to the adult population in the survey that was conducted in five selected states with a total sample size of 10,000 by WHO-AIIMS, the ANI report said.
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Data of 4,500 participants were taken for the results of the time of midterm analysis from four states. More results are likely to come in the next two or three months.
During the survey, it was found that resettlement colonies in South Delhi's urban areas that have a very congested population had the highest seroprevalence of 74.7 per cent, ANI quoted Dr Puneet Misra, Professor of Community Medicine at AIIMS, New Delhi as saying. Dr Misra led the survey.
"In congested Urban areas of Delhi, since children already have high seroprevalence, opening schools may not be a very risky proposition. During the second wave, the NCR region of Faridabad (rural area) has a seroprevalence of 59.3 per cent (almost equal in both age groups), could be considered high compared to previous national surveys," ANI cited the survey.
Dr Misra said these areas in Delhi and NCR (Faridabad) may have higher seroprevalence after the severe second wave of coronavirus. Probably, these levels of seroprevalence may be protective against the third wave, reported the news agency.
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The survey said Gorakhpur is the most affected in rural areas, which means the chances of herd immunity are higher. Gorakhpur Rural has a very high seroprevalence of 87.9 per cent (2-18 years) with 80.6 per cent and above 18 years with 90.3 per cent, ANI reported.
The least seroprevalence (51.9 per cent) was found in Agartala rural, which is claimed to be likely because it also included some tribal populations that usually have lower mobility leading to lower vulnerability to infection.
More than half the rural population (62.3 per cent) surveyed showed evidence of past infection, ANI said.
