Experts explain how Omicron is behaving in infants

by Medically Speaking Team January 11, 2022

According to a prominent doctor at Max Smart Super Specialty Hospital in Saket, Omicron is behaving very mildly and only rarely affects newborn newborns. For the past several weeks, India has seen an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Taking cognisance of this information, Chief Advisor, Paediatrics and Infectious Diseases, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, Dr. Arvind Taneja told ANI today, “This virus is behaving very mildly and rarely affecting newborn babies to the extent that, even mothers who have given birth during this period are not affected. The babies are not born with any defects or abnormalities.”

“This virus is affecting children mildly. Mildly here means that they are getting a mild running nose, cough. In a few cases, high fever was reported but that does translate to the Omicron effect. If any person in the family is detected positive for COVID-19, they should home-quarantine themselves. That is the only precaution to take at the moment to curtail the spread of the virus,” he said.

Taneja said, “I believe that once the virus comes into the home, it spreads like wildfire. The third wave has already hit Delhi and major metropolises like Mumbai. Within a few weeks in January, the Omicron driven third wave will come like a Tsunami and will also disappear like a Tsunami.”

The doctor also lauded the Prime Minister’s decision to roll out precautionary dose of COVID-19 vaccine for people aged above 60 years and vaccines for teens between 15-18 years of age. He said, “It is better to immunise this age group to reduce transmissibility. Senior citizens fall under the category of high-risk groups. Every healthcare, frontline worker, senior citizen and teens between 15-18 years of age should be fully vaccinated.”

The COVID-19 vaccination program for children aged between 15 and 18 years has been started on January 3, 2022.

India achieved a milestone in its COVID-19 vaccination drive as the cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 150 crore mark on Friday.

India is currently witnessing a surge in COVID-19 cases and reported 1,79,723 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, taking the daily positivity rate in the country to 13.29 per cent, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday.

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