A seroprevalence study conducted in Bengaluru Rural district in June-July last year showed that 46% of children in the age group 0-18 have been exposed to COVID-19. Researchers from Bengaluru Baptist Hospital conducted a door-to-door survey with health workers from June 14 to July 13, at a time when the second wave of COVID-19 was receding in the state.
The survey was conducted on 213 boys and 199 girls in Doddaballapura and Devanahalli taluks with the consent of the children at the Baptist Hospital centre. The researchers have published their report – ‘Covid sero survey among children during the second wave in a rural district of South India’ led by Dr Carolyn Elizabeth George of the international scientific journal PLOS ONE.
Antibodies developed in children?
There is a relief in the conclusion of the study. Even though immunization among children in India is still in its early stages, most children will have been exposed to COVID (asymptomatic infection) and have developed antibodies, said surveyor Dr Carolyn Elizabeth George, Head, Community Health, Bangalore Baptist Hospital, says.
As per the study data available with TOI, seroprevalence was highest in the age group of 0-6 years at 57.8%, while 50.4% in the age group of 11-15 years showed antibody presence, 43.6 in the age group of 16-18 years % and 35.9% in the age group of 6–10 years had antibodies. Dr George said results of seroprevalence performed at the same time (two weeks before the children) among adults showed that 62% of adults had developed antibodies against SARS-CoV2.
Mild infection in most children
Nearly one in two children in the group studied had developed COVID antibodies by June-July 2021. Most children would have asymptomatic infection. Some of them could have had a mild infection. But they didn’t have enough symptoms. No one was tested for COVID,’ Dr George said.
In June 2021 a high level expert committee for prevention and management of third wave headed by Dr Devi Shetty recommended to the state government to conduct sero-surveillance study to analyze seroprevalence in 0-18 age group. However, the state health and family welfare department is yet to consider it.
Accelerate the campaign to vaccinate children in school.
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