The South African Paediatric Association (Sapa) supports the reopening of schools. This comes after the Department of Education started to phase in learning with the return of Grade 7 and 12 learners, with plans of more pupils returning in July.
According to local paediatrician, Dr Dillon van der Haer, children make up about 1% to 2% of Covid-19 infections and are much less likely, compared to adults, to spread the virus.
Sapa stated that children are not likely to show harsh symptoms of Covid-19.
“Children biologically contain SARS-CoV-2 better than adults, are less likely to get sick if infected, have milder disease, are unlikely to die from Covid-19 and are probably less infectious than adults.”
Van der Haer, a paediatrician at Mediclinic Bloemfontein, agrees. The father of three explained that the best way to avoid infection in children is daily nutrition from food.
Although the risk is minimal, children who are most in danger during the pandemic are those with compromised immune systems and heart problems. According to Van der Haer, those with controlled asthma should be able to attend school.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres are also set to reopen soon throughout the province. Although masks are essential in protecting health and avoiding the spread of Covid-19 for a large part of the population, they are not encouraged to be used by young children.
“Masks are not for children under the age of two. They have very small airways, so in comparison the masks are more of a hazard for them than Covid-19,” Van der Haer said.
The specialist warns that symptoms for Covid-19 and flu may overlap as the flu season starts to pick up.
“The problem in South Africa is that the flu season has been delayed because of lockdown, so children will have fever, coughing, diarrhea and vomiting. They should stay home but it probably won’t be too serious,” he concluded.
Nomaqhawe Mtebele
