Pakistan records steep increase in Covid cases among children

Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of National Health Services, Dr Nausheen Hamid Wednesday said that the country has been witnessing a steep rise in coronavirus infections rate in children.

An overview of Covid cases among children

Talking to a private news channel, she asked parents to pay special attention to their children’s abdominal symptoms or nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, adding that most children with Covid-19 may exhibit only mild symptoms requiring only supportive care.

She called on all citizens to strictly follow the corona SOPs including avoid going in to gatherings and wearing a mask and maintaining social distance in public places. She also urged all citizens who have yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to register via the Ministry of Health’s website and 1166 number.

She further said that children were a unique and distinct developmental and physiological differences from adults, adding, that clinical trials in children are essential to develop age-specific, empirically-verified therapies and interventions to determine and improve the best medical treatment available.

She said after clinical trials they need to vaccine children as well and clinical research was also a paramount importance in developing safe medications, paediatric formulations, clinical interventions and best practice guidelines. She said the current wave of coronavirus in the country was very serious and it was high time to strictly follow SOPs to avoid the pandemic.

Vaccination process to the elderly citizens of the country is in progress and government has placed further orders to purchase more vaccine, she added. She mentioned that the international community was acknowledging Pakistan’s efforts in fighting Covid-19.

Responding to a question, she said that Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has already approved formulas for a maximum retail price of the vaccine which private companies are purchasing.

The government has allowed another vaccine against Covid-19 under “emergency use authorization” which given a go-ahead to a local pharmaceutical company for the import and distribution of the Russian-developed Sputnik V but unfortunately private company was demanding more relief.