’Conjunctivitis among 42% kids’: Experts on 10 common COVID symptoms amid current surge

The current COVID surge is hitting children hard and most of them are showing mild febrile illness symptoms. A new study, conducted between April 4 and16, shows that the total duration of illness is short, ranging from 1-3 days, but there are 8 to 10 symptoms that might be bothering them, including conjunctivitis, fever etc.

Vipin M Vashishtha, former convenor of Indian Academy of Pediatrics and consultant paediatrician at the Mangla Hospital and Research Centre, Bijnor, took to Twitter, to say, infants are being disproportionately affected, with even a 13-day-old neonate testing positive for the virus. Infants below one year of age are also more likely to test positive than older children.

“Infants below one year had a significantly higher positivity rate than older children (40.38% versus 10.5%, p=000816).”

Speaking about the symptoms, he said, unlike the previous BA.2 Omicron wave, respiratory symptoms are predominating in young infants. Another surprising finding was the presence of itchy, non-purulent conjunctivitis, which was solely observed in infants.

Conjunctival involvement was seen in 42.8% of affected infants.

List of common covid symptoms among children

Eric Topol, physician-scientist, also referred to a study to say, documenting the XBB.1.16-linked conjunctivitis, a distinctive feature of this variant, especially seen in infants

How to protect your children amid virus surge?

Protecting children from viral infections such as RSV, flu, adenovirus, and Covid-19 is essential as they are more vulnerable due to their developing immune systems. Vaccination, regular handwashing, and mask-wearing for children over five are essential measures.

Parents should monitor their children's health closely and keep them home from school if they have any symptoms of illness. This is especially important for high-risk children with underlying health conditions like asthma, diabetes, or heart disease. By taking these precautions, we can help keep children healthy and prevent the spread of viral infections.

According to Dr. Kuldeep Kumar Grover, Head of critical care & Pulmonology at CK Birla Hospital, Gurgaon, told Hindustan Times, Covid-19 is a viral infection that has been around for some time. He advises parents to look out for symptoms like fever, cold, a bit of cough, stomach flu, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, and body pain. However, he notes that the symptoms of Covid-19 are more gradual than other viruses.