Parents urged to keep children safe from COVID-19 infection

According to Dr B Kannan, Paediatrician and Medical Administrator, Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre, Madurai, an epidemic like the coronavirus, now declared by the WHO as a pandemic of international concern, could be quite unnerving for anyone.

The virus that originated in Wuhan, China, has already killed over 9, 000 people and infected more than two lakh worldwide. Spread to almost 124 countries around the world, including India, cases of coronavirus are rising by the day in India as well.

The symptoms of coronavirus infection could range from a simple cough with fever or shortness of breath to serious infection, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Hence, it’s essential for parents to keep themselves and their children safe from acquiring an infection, the paediatrician said in a statement on Thursday.

Person-to-persontransmission

Coronavirus spreads through transmission from one person to another such as through droplets while coughing and sneezing from an infected person. These droplets could stay on fomites such as door handle, metro seats etc., for four to five days. This makes it highly infectious and even fatal in a lot of cases.

Hence, people were advised to wash hands often, use soap and wash for 20 seconds, wash after using the restroom or being in public places like malls, playgrounds. While sneezing, people should cover nose and mouth and advised to sneeze into your elbows. Avoid touching face and don’t pick your nose, rub eyes, and touch your mouth. Citing these, he said such ones were common entry points of viruses into the body.

Parents should also ensure their children use proper medical grade masks, especially when travelling through crowded places with a risk of infection, or even when communicating with strangers on the road. They should avoid close contact with anyone who has fever and cough as infected persons may not necessarily show any symptoms.

Self-medicating without proper instructions from a doctor could land people in trouble and affect health. It’s advisable to take children to a doctor immediately if they complained of headache or  symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing were noticed.

‘Avoid unnecessary travel to any country, or even different states in India, till the threat subsides. Children are most prone to catching viruses, so restricting their travel and contact with strangers will reduce the chances of infection. Almost all countries are now heading towards issuing bans on visits of foreign nationals’, the paediatrician said.

Avoid taking or sending children to crowded places such as local markets, shopping malls, playgrounds or even metro trains or buses. Viruses could easily transmit from one person to another at crowded locations.

The increase in fluid intake for each and every children is very important in such circumstances. Drinking plenty of water could help keep viruses at bay as a dry throat makes it easier for viruses to enter one’s system.

Uncooked meat or raw meat should be avoided completely. It could result in severe illness that come from animals, hence one should ensure that the meat is cooked properly since coronaviruses are sensitive to heat.

Cultivating good hygiene habits such as cleaning hands before eating food and taking a bath after playing outside is essential for kids. They should regularly clean their hands with soap and water and take care not to touch their face with unclean hands. It’s advisable to avoid hugs or kisses around this time. Corona seems to cause a milder infection in children than in adults or older people, the paediatrician stated.