Children’s infections rising
There has been a weekly increase of 20% in the number of children affected by infections, with one in 10 children with fever needing immediate hospitalization, according to pediatrician Spyridon Mazanis and the president of the Panhellenic Federation of Self-Employed Pediatricians, Konstantinos Daloukas, in comments to Skai.gr.
Mazanis added there is no accurate picture of the number of infections, as the tests are not reported. At the same time, he bemoaned “overcrowded” hospitals, noting that there is no possibility of finding beds. Infections impacting children are mainly due to five different types of viruses: influenza A and B, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), pneumococcus and strep throat.
Worryingly, the two pediatricians forecast a “difficult winter,” with the situation getting worse over the next two months. They also didn’t rule out the possibility that children’s lowered immunity could be explained by the onslaught of Covid-19 and the isolation of children in the lockdowns. “I’ve never administered so much medicine in my life,” said Daloukas, while both pediatricians spoke of a scarcity of inhalers, antihistamines and antibiotics.
They insisted that children should never go to school sick, that their return to school should be after 24 hours without symptoms, and that the best antidote for everything is proper hygiene and prevention – i.e. vaccination.
