The earlier versions of coronavirus may have been a bit lenient towards kids, but that’s not the case with the new Delta variant. In fact, it takes a toll on the kids, particularly those not vaccinated, i.e., the ones under 12 years old.
The American Academy of Pediatrics shared some eye-opening numbers, reporting 94,000 COVID cases among children.
Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center, suggests that the Delta variant is far more contagious than the older version. As a result, it’s occurring more frequently in children.
Healthline shares the new reports on the Delta variant and how it’s affecting children.
Delta Variant is Twice as Contagious
The Center for Disease Control reported that the Delta Variant is more than twice as contagious as the older versions of COVID-19, and researchers are concerned that it may be more threatening, especially to the unvaccinated people.
Therefore, given that most children are still unvaccinated, there is understandably more risk of children catching the virus. So, what will the Delta variant look like in children? What precautions must you take as parents and caregivers? Let’s find out.
Delta Variant Symptoms are Similar to the Previous Ones
It may be early days to make a claim, but so far, there isn’t much difference between the symptoms of COVID-19 and that of the Delta variant.
According to the reports from Yale Medicine, the Delta variant symptoms include but are not limited to headache, runny nose, fever, and sore throat, etc. However, the Delta variant does not induce.
Dr. Michael Grosso from Northwell Health’s Huntington Hospital says that there is still time before the authentic literature on the Delta variant becomes available. He suggests that we need high-quality studies before commenting on the nature of the symptoms.
In children and teenagers, the common symptoms of the Delta variant are predominantly fever and cough. The nasal and gastrointestinal symptoms and rash are the other symptoms, but they are less likely to occur.
From the COVID-19 trends, it was evident that the virus didn’t show any symptoms in most children. However, the Delta variant is different, and it’s more evident through its symptoms.
Other Illnesses Caused by the Delta Variant
Grosso added that regardless of what variants may pop up, it’s important for parents to the other illnesses caused by the virus in young people. One such disease is the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, also known as the MIS-C.
Dr. Grosso added that MIS-C might be uncommon and a primary problem related to COVID-19. The virus may appear a few weeks later after the initial stages of the infection. Therefore, understanding the symptoms of MIS-C is equally critical. These symptoms include:
- Bloodshot eyes
- Abdominal Pain
- Diarrhea
- Chest pain
- Diarrhea
- Exhaustion
- Headache
- Neck pain
- Low blood pressure
- Rash
- Vomiting
Should You Go For Your Child’s COVID-19 Test?
Even though the Delta variant seems threatening, it is not advisable to go for a COVID-19 test before any of the above symptoms appear. However, if you see any of the above symptoms in your child, get them tested straight away, Dr. Offit believes.
Get a pediatrician to test your child. Given that most schools are reopening, testing becomes critical before your child goes back to school. In the worst case where your child tests positive, make sure to quarantine and isolate them until the symptoms go away.
Furthermore, parents must monitor their child on their own if the symptoms are not severe enough to require hospital support. So, as a parent, you must look after the fluid intake, breathing problems, and the general appearance of your kid.
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Some Measures Must Take While Attending their COVID Affected Children
Make sure that the requirement of masks is fulfilled throughout. Ensure ventilation by opening the windows allowing your child to get sufficient fresh air.
Prepare a bathroom solely for your kid if possible. Moreover, prevention is always the priority, especially for kids, as they will be back in school in September. So, basic precautions like masks and social distancing for kids, teachers, and staff are necessary. Finally, ensuring immunization for those eligible is very critical.
When Will Kids Get their Turn for Vaccination
It’s an important question that most parents are asking these days. About 50 million Americans are under 12 years old and not eligible for the vaccine yet. As the Delta variant continues to grow stronger, it is causing serious concerns in parents who want to vaccinate their kids before they start public interactions again.
However, there is no specific time frame for children’s vaccination so far. Clinical trials are still ongoing to see if the vaccines will be safe for kids. Also, they want to understand the right dosage for kids.
Testing Phase for Kids Waits for Pharma Studies
Currently, BioNTech and Pfizer have taken more than 4600 children from three age groups to study the data. A lot more data is expected to arrive by September. Another research from Moderna will study nearly 6700 children for the COVID vaccine effects.
So, there is no certainty when the vaccinations will be available for kids. However, there are still a few weeks before we can see the first vaccination batch for kids.
Conclusion
Given the current situation of the pandemic and the Delta variant effects, the only way for kids to tackle the issue is through prevention. Therefore, parents must make sure to provide proper isolation, safety stuff like sanitizers and masks before their children become eligible to receive the vaccination.
