While debate is raging about the reopening of schools in India, the country recorded over three lakh new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, a 12.2 percent increase over Tuesday, and 491 people died in 24 hours. succumbed to the infection, which escalated the outbreak of the epidemic. up to 487,693. The country is currently in the midst of a third wave, which has seen the Omicron version of the coronavirus re-infect even fully vaccinated people. In such a situation, experts are of the opinion that the reopening of schools will create a risk of infection among children.
India has not yet started immunization of children under the age of 15 and some children between 15 and 17 have received only the first dose. Vaccination for age group 15-17 was opened earlier this month. The reopening of schools would mean that all people under the age of 15, who are unvaccinated, are at risk of becoming infected.
Global experts have said the new version of the coronavirus could have long-term effects, with some impacts on brain and neurological development in unvaccinated children.
“My biggest concern is the long-term impact of the virus, especially on the brain,” Anthony Costello, professor of global health and sustainable development at UCL and former WHO director, told a conference call. We know people who are tired, brain fog occurs as a long-term effect of coronavirus.”
They also claimed that they are looking at papers that provide evidence that the coronavirus affects T cells and can damage them in the same way as HIV, harming the immunity of an infected person.
“The virus cannot damage nerve cells, but it can affect cells around blood vessels, which have long-term effects, especially to the brain,” he said during a discussion organized by The Independent Sage.
Talking especially about children, he said, ‘We have allowed lakhs of our children to be affected by this virus. There is no real solid evidence to suggest that the virus on unvaccinated people is milder than in Delta.”
He suggested that only with time and increasing scientific interest could we know the effect of the coronavirus on the brain. “We know that measles causes neurodegeneration in some children, the Zika virus destroys the brains of children,” said the international expert.
Meanwhile, education institutions across India are debating reopening schools. some states like Maharashtra announces reopening of schools In areas with fewer COVID-19 cases, schools remain closed in most parts of the country. There is a growing fear of the effects of the virus on children and their long-term effects.
Despite concerns about learning loss, most Indian parents are still unwilling to send their children back to school. The LocalSearchs survey report suggested that around 52 per cent of parents are unwilling to send their children to school as cases are rising in their respective cities. Further, 10 per cent of parents said that they are not ready to send children back to school until the cases start to decline. According to the survey, only 18 percent of parents said they were sending their kids to schools, despite Omicron.
read all breaking news, today’s fresh news And coronavirus news Here.
,