Covid 19 3rd wave: Parents alert! Is mask required for children under 5 years? Health Ministry recommends THIS - Check DOs and DONTs

In its new guidelines, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), which comes under the Health Ministry, has recommended that children aged 5 years and under should not be required to wear masks.  

It has mentioned that children aged 6-11 years may wear a mask depending on the ability of the child to use a mask safely and appropriately under the direct supervision of parents/guardians. And children aged 12 years and over should wear a mask under the same conditions as adults.

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Amid the fear over the third wave, the Centre released a list of guidelines to manage Covid-19 among children. These guidelines also suggest that Remdesivir, an emergency use authorisation drug, is not recommended in children.

It further cleared that there is a lack of sufficient safety and efficacy data with respect to Remdesivir in children below 18 years of age. It has also mentioned that Steroids are not indicated and are harmful in asymptomatic and mild cases of COVID-19.  

The guidelines suggested a six-minute walk test for children above 12 years. “It is a simple clinical test to assess cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance and is used to unmask hypoxia. Attach a pulse oximeter to his/her finger and ask the child to walk in the confines of their room for six minutes continuously," it mentions.

For asymptomatic and mild cases, antimicrobials are not recommended for therapy or prophylaxis. Whereas for moderate and severe cases antimicrobials should not be prescribed unless there is clinical suspicion of a superadded infection. See the new guidelines for children here.

Asymptomatic

• Suspected contact (RAT or RTPCR negative or not available)

• Incidentally detected (RAT or RTPCR positive)

• Take 6 min walk test in children above 12 years under the supervision of parents/guardian; See 6-minute walk test

Mild

Home isolation (tele consultation SOS)

• Sore throat or rhinorrhoea

• Cough with no breathing difficulty

• SPO2 ≥ 94 per cent on room air

• Take 6 min walk test in children above 12 years under the supervision of parents/guardian; please see 6-minute walk test

Moderate

• In addition to symptoms in mild cases, check for pneumonia which may not be apparent

• Rapid respiration (age-based): <2 months RR >60/min; 2-12 months, RR >50/min; 1-5 years, RR >40/min; >5 years, RR >30/min

• SpO2 : 90-93 per cent on room air

Severe

• SpO2 < 90 per cent on room air

• Signs of severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome, or pneumonia with cyanosis, grunting, severe retraction of chest, lethargy, somnolence, seizure; assess for thrombosis, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)