Ahmedabad (Gujarat): Coronavirus cases are again seeing a massive surge world over. The latest threat in the form of the Omicron variant has exacerbated the challenge people and governments across the world were facing since the WHO declared Covid-19 a pandemic in March 2020.
As for India, the situation, for now, is fairly under control even though the country is seeing a steady rise in the number of Omicron cases. While the Narendra Modi government is taking the vaccine and "precautionary" dose route to deal with the new threat, experts have questioned the overuse of vaccines and stressed preventive measures. Prime Minister Modi recently announced booster doses as well as vaccination for children between the age group of 15-17 years.
Dr Praveen Garg, a noted physician from Ahmedabad, spoke to ETV Bharat's Ashish Panchal about the possible effect of these vaccines on children, whether they need the jabs, and the approaching Covid-19 wave.
Even though the children have been rarely affected by the deadly Coronavirus so far, Dr Garg backed the government's decision to begin vaccinating 15 to 17-year-olds.
Coronavirus, he said, has been changing its form continuously since it first emerged.
"Now with the Omicron variant, we have seen mutations of this virus on a scale never witnessed before. About 7.5 million children in America are infected. And to think that this is a disease of adults is huge overconfidence," Dr Garg said.
The vaccination for children, he added, was "a right step" since they also need protection just in case there are more variants of the virus, the behaviour or effect of which on children cannot be foretold.
He said that with the reopening of schools and colleges, the students have come in contact with each other and vaccines could act as an effective precautionary measure in such a situation.
Asked how the new variant Omicron might affect the children's immunity, Dr Garg said: "There are about 30 to 40 mutants of the old virus in the new spike protein. In the second wave, there was less infection among children. But every child's immunity is different and with only limited information about the Omicron variant's behaviour, it cannot be said with certainty how it may impact the immunity of children."
He reiterated that vaccination of the children is the best way to be ready for whatever is coming since prevention is always better than cure.
Commenting on why Covaxin is the only option for children, Dr Garg clarified that before recommending any vaccine, the Critical Trial Committee and DCGI conduct a thorough trial, after which it is approved. "The Covaxin and Zydus vaccines have been tested on children. Trials of both the vaccines have shown no major side effects and have a high success ratio, and therefore, for now, it is the only option for children," he said.
Prime Minister Modi recently in a meeting had declared that vaccinations will be allowed for children between the age of 15 to 17 years of age. Dr Garg said that after a month or so, the government will probably declare vaccinations for children between the age of 12-15 years too. He also said that some companies have started testing vaccines for children between the age of 1 to 12 years.
"A few months down the line, people may also expect those vaccines," he said.
Also read: Experts caution against 'overuse' of vaccine
