Children, a Covid-19 transmission vector

The number of children and teenagers diagnosed with COVID-19 in Romania is growing

Mihai Pelin, 31.01.2022, 14:00

Romania saw record-high numbers of COVID-19
infections last week, with over 34,000 cases on Wednesday and more than 168,000
for the entire week. The number of related deaths remains lower than during the
autumn wave.

However, there are concerns related to the
transmission of the virus among children, as classes are held on-site across
the country until 75% of the hospital beds set aside for COVID patients are
occupied in any given county.

On Sunday, 3,800 children tested positive for
the coronavirus, and the total number for last week reached nearly 36,000. Kids
have become a COVID transmission vector, and the number of cases rises
exponentially from one day to the next, says the president of the Family
Doctors Association in Ialomiţa, Andreea Radu:

Andreea Radu: Children are known to spread the virus
very easily, because they learn and play in large groups. Although the Omicron variant
seems to cause milder forms of the disease, especially compared to the Delta, you
never know in what category you fall, whether you will indeed have a mild form
or not.

Some hospitals in the country open paediatric COVID
units to handle the severe cases among children. The manager of the Slobozia County
Emergency Hospital Liviu Patrichi warns that the number of such cases is
growing:

Liviu Patrichi: The problem we are facing now
compared to the other waves of the pandemic is the large number of mild and
medium cases among children. We have opened a COVID paediatric unit, which is
running at the capacity specified in the resilience plan. We have 9 dedicated
beds for paediatric cases.

The health minister Alexandru Rafila said his professional
advice for the parents who want to have their children vaccinated against COVID
is to get properly informed in advance. He added the immunisation of kids aged 5
to 11 runs smoothly and the good organisation gives confidence to parents.

The upward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases
will last for another few days, Alexandru Rafila also said. In hospitals, the
number of COVID patients is on the rise, and the complications and severe cases
that reach ICUs are mainly caused by the Delta variant, which still accounts
for around 20% of the new infections.

Mr. Rafila also estimates that in about 2 weeks’
time, the already prevailing Omicron variant will have completely replaced
Delta in Romania as well, which will slow down the inflow of patients in hospitals.
According to him, this will be the last wave likely to have a serious impact on
public health, and starting this spring we might resume public and private
events with large numbers of participants, which have been subject to the most
severe restrictions over the past 2 years. (A.M.P.)