Dr. Adil Manzoor OP/ED
We have not beaten the coronavirus. Not yet, at least. In fact, it is starting to seem that we started celebrating too early. I’m talking in light of the emergence of the new covid variant, which is even worse than the first strain. When I say worse, I am not even considering the fact that it is more transmissible than the parent virus. I am talking in the sense of it seemingly finding ways to evade the vaccines we have available. It’s amazing, really.
This is not a good time to be unvaccinated. I mean, even vaccinated people are falling prey to the delta variant of the coronavirus. And when we talk about the unvaccinated populace, children spring to mind. It was not until some weeks ago that children were approved to receive emergency covid doses after all the tests and studies indicated that they could safely take the vaccine.
Notwithstanding, the vast majority of children are unvaccinated. This doesn’t sit right with many parents across the country who are worried about the potential dangers their kids may be exposed to with new variants flying around. It doesn’t sit right with me too.
While we need to ensure that high and medium-risk people are vaccinated first, we also cannot afford to neglect children. Naturally, children aren’t at as much risk from the virus as adults. This explains why the CDC placed priorities on vaccinations for adults. Not only are the chances of transmitting the virus lower, but the mortality rate is also significantly lower when you compare children to adults. However, this is something a new variant can solve.
I hate to say it, but the chances are that a new variant of the virus may develop that will be more dangerous to children than what we already have. Then, it will become a huge bother considering how many unvaccinated children we have in the country. The point of everything I have written up to this point is – we need to find how to vaccinate our kids. And soon too.
Pending that time, though, parents still need to keep their kids safe, particularly the high-risk ones. People that fall into this category are primarily asthmatic and obese kids. But anyone with any medical complication is more vulnerable to the virus than others. As a result, there are certain activities that these kids should shy away from. The included image outlines various activities and the level of risk they pose.
As you can see, the sections have different color codes. If your kid is high-risk, then you should be careful about the red and yellow activities. Generally, indoor activities in cramped or overcrowded areas are usually worse than outdoor ones regarding coronavirus transmission.
Knowing the kid-related activities to abstain from is essential to protecting your kids. However, you must not let this steal your kids’ childhood. Their mental health is just as important as their physical health. Seeing their peers doing activities they cannot participate in may take a toll on their mental health sooner or later. You just need to know when to apply discretion and always provide the right safety measures.
Stay safe. Wear a mask.
This article was written by Dr. Adil Manzoor DO, a Board Certified Internist & Board Eligible Pediatrician, who works as a Hospitalist, and Emergency Room Physician. He is also the current President of Garden State Street Medicine, a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide free preventive and acute urgent care services for the homeless. He is also the co-founder of his own unique medical practice Mobile Medicine NJ.
References
· https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/navigating-kid-related-activities
