Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

When the young become vulnerable to Covid-19

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During the long months that have passed since the emergence of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, remarkably everyone realised how vaccination actually works to change the nature of Covid risks to our society and other societies around the world. With the beginning of summer, the number of cases may decrease with the arrival of a large amount of vaccines in the Sultanate, because comprehensive vaccination limits the transmission of infection, while the relative share of cases among the unvaccinated increases, simply because they are still vulnerable to infection.


In fact, I believe that with passing of time the vulnerable group would be children and that too disproportionately. Based on our vaccine request, corona will start to appear as a disease affecting young people. In a way, this means that vaccines work, but it also means that many of us and in our society may change their way of thinking about the risks of Covid-19. We will see that adults, who spent last year worrying about their elderly parents, becoming anxious about their children instead, for instance!


Of course, the risks are not equal, as children are much less likely to die from corona than the elderly. However, even if the risk is not particularly high, you as a father or you as a mother will still provide extra protection for your children because it is just human nature. So it is possible, months from now, parents will find themselves returning to normal while their children still have to wear masks probably even indoors!


On the other side, many studies have suggested that the biggest risk factor to consider for unvaccinated children is simply the extent of the spread of coronavirus in society. Meaning, if vaccination continues for us and our society at a good and continuous rate, maybe partial immunity (herd immunity) will slow down the transmission of this virus. However, not everyone will feel comfortable with the same level of risk. Even before the pandemic, parents who had children with high-risk medical conditions were very careful, not to travel during the flu season, for example. Thus, the presence of the coronavirus may be another reason for these families to be vigilant!


And when we go back a little bit, we recall that one of the mutated strains of corona (B.1.1.7) was discovered for the first time after the opening of schools in the United Kingdom. However, the B.1.1.7 strain is more transmissible than the original virus among all age groups.


Not to mention that all of these fears can come on top of schools, which are one of the main places where unvaccinated people gather - such as children! Hence, perhaps the same precautions that succeeded before, such as good ventilation, wearing masks, and physical distancing also still work against this type of mutated strains.


What I would like to point out is that the virus may continue to spread in different places of the homeland, as not enough eligible adults have been vaccinated in addition to unqualified children, leading by this to creating real foci of infection with the coronavirus.


We are all aware that the risks to unvaccinated children later this year depend on the actions we take now. Certainly, the faster we vaccinate, the better we reduce cases through other measures. The situation will probably be safer by the end of September or October for instance this year. Then, finally parents can stop telling the kids to do things that they themselves are not doing!


Dr.Yousuf Ali Al mulla . A physician, a medical innovator and a writer. For any queries regarding the contents of the article, can be contacted at: dryusufalmulla@gmail.com


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