MAPUSA
The Goa Chapter of Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) has said the claim that any fresh surge in Covid-19 epidemic will impact children was not backed by any scientific data.
It added that the State government was indulging in “fear mongering” and its decision to constitute a taskforce to tackle the third wave was to divert the attention of the mismanagement of the second wave.
“The claim that a third wave is expected to strike in September is wrong. There is no scientific data to back the claim. The State government’s decision to hurriedly constitute a taskforce to tackle the third wave is just to divert attention from the current mismanagement of the second wave,” said Dr Dhanesh Volvoikar, President of IAP, Goa state chapter.
He said the government’s decision to constitute a task force was as a result of a writ petition that has been filed by a private citizen questioning government’s preparedness for the third wave.
Dr Volvoikar said the IAP was sensitive to problems of children in Goa and has its own Task Force which can recommend members who can do training of all general practitioners, nurses etc. and also recommend appropriate government health care authorities as far as Covid management in children was concerned.
“We need to go into details of statistics of positive cases and also may need a sample survey using a serological test to know how many children in the State are already infected,” he said.
He further informed that while several people had tested positive in the second wave, their children had not been tested.
“So, we don’t have the real picture of how many children may have been infected with Covid. If they have been affected, they are not going to get severe infection the next time,” Dr Volvoikar reasoned.
The IAP (Goa) President, however, said their immediate focus was on post Covid multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) that occurs in about four to eight weeks after asymptomatic or symptomatic Covid infection in children.
“Our focus is on early recognition of Covid multisystem inflammatory syndrome which is many times difficult to identify for general doctors. It is a treatable condition but if delayed can be fatal. IAP has come out with a simple flyer for its easy recognition and is being circulated among all doctors,” he said.
Dr Volvoikar said what is equally important was to upscale vaccination of all the eligible population.
He said paediatricians across Goa can complete full immunisation of children just within a month or two once they become eligible.
