We must protect kids against worsening COVID threat

This picture has been used for representational purpose

Call it the second wave, the surge or mutation effect, Coronavirus cases continue to grow at an extremely worrying rate here. Amidst this surge, professionals and scientists are looking into new patterns and the many contours of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One big factor that has emerged is that children are being infected at a fast rate. In the first wave, we did not witness so many children and young teenagers afflicted with the virus. Today, doctors and frontline fighters are cautioning that youngsters and children are becoming increasingly affected and they have the numbers to shore up these claims. Some reports even more concerning cite that the virus is affecting children with some severity.

Anxious adults already battling their own pandemic problems now must tackle this. It is vital we discipline youngsters and kids, and as difficult as it may be because of all that young energy, stop them from physically meeting or playing in groups.

Just before tighter restrictions, we had seen maidans full of kids and slightly older adults playing team sport, games and generally hanging out together. This is ideal in ordinary times. In a space-starved city, it is always great when people indulge in outdoor activity. It is good, too, that they tear themselves away from their devices and meet in the outdoors. These are not ordinary times though, and you know what they say, extraordinarily tough times call for extraordinarily tough measures.

Curtail activities for kids, curb team sports and games at local levels. Adults must display COVID-appropriate behaviour so that children learn by example. This is extremely important with summer breaks coming up and though different this time, May is usually the time for outdoor play. Simply dial C for COVID, children and caution now.