Masks are not necessary for children below the age of 5 years, the Ministry of Health issued a new guideline
The Union Health Ministry has issued a new guideline regarding COVID-19 on Thursday. The Health Ministry has said in the revised Comprehensive Guidelines for Management of COVID-19 in Children and Adolescents (Under 18 Years) that masks are not recommended for children aged five years and below. It states that children aged 6-11 can use masks in a safe and appropriate manner under the direct supervision of a parent.
The government has said that the use of antiviral or monoclonal antibodies is not recommended for children under the age of 18, regardless of the severity of the corona virus infection. If steroids are used, they should be tapered down over 10 to 14 days based on clinical improvement.
The ministry said that people aged 12 years and above should wear masks in the same way as adults. Recently, the guidelines were reviewed by a group of experts in view of the increase in the cases of infection, especially due to the Omicron nature. The ministry said the available data from other countries shows that the disease caused by the Omicron form is less severe. However, due to the wave of the pandemic, careful monitoring is needed.
The guidelines classified cases of infection as asymptomatic, mild, moderate and severe. The ministry said that antimicrobials or prophylaxis are not recommended for treatment of asymptomatic and mild cases.
Important things of the guidelines at a glance
- Masks are not necessary for children 5 years and below
- Children 12 years of age and older can use the mask as adults
- Antiviral monoclonal antibodies are not recommended for people under 18 years of age.
- Steroid use is fatal in mild cases of COVID-19.
- For COVID-19, it is necessary to use steroids at the right time. It is important to give the right dosage in the right direction.
- If children are asymptomatic or get mild cases, it is necessary for them to get routine child care. If eligible, the vaccine must be given.
- After the children are discharged from the hospital, counseling of the relatives should be done. They should be given information about taking care of children and breathing problems.
During the treatment of COVID-19, if any children in the hospital face problems in any other organ, then they should be treated appropriately. The ministry said that in moderate and severe cases, antimicrobials should not be administered unless a superimposed infection is suspected. The guidelines state that steroids should be used at the right time, in the right dosage and for the right duration. The ministry said these guidelines would be further reviewed on availability of new evidence.
