Dearth of ICU beds to affect kids with flu

High demand for intensive care (ICU) unit beds in hospitals due to rising cases of Covid-19 across the state has put the paediatricians in a fix as changing weather conditions lead to an increasing number of influenza cases among children who need extra care during treatment. Scarcity of ICU beds are now forcing paediatricians to advocate influenza vaccination for children below eight years of age.

With rains beginning to lash the state, children from zero to eight years are vulnerable to flu, feel doctors. They need to be protected from flu-induced pneumonia, secondary and bacterial infections due to their immune compromised state.

Due to seasonal change, there are common colds, influenza and other viruses which are found to move in the environment. Dip in temperatures, wind movement and also the change of the season accelerate the movement of the virus.

Ongoing pandemic and continuous demand for ICU beds got many doctors to take proactive steps to advocate influenza vaccination for children. There is a worry that if the demand for ICU beds continues, there will be scarcity of beds which makes it difficult to treat these critically ill children.

The flu estimates in India show that 130 to 140 children per 1,000 suffer from flu illness and 33 to 44 per 1,000 children require high-end treatment. Dr M Surendranath, president of Indian Academy of Paediatrics (IAP) in Telangana says, “India comes under the southern hemisphere zone. The influenza peak cases are observed between summer and monsoon. April to June is the right time to vaccinate children to create immunity.”

It has also been noted that there is a major panic among parents with regards to the third wave of Covid19. There are also rumours on social media that in the third wave, children will be affected more. “These are not true,” say paediatricians.

Dr Surendra Rao, senior paediatrician at Rainbow Hospitals says, “Children have been asymptomatic carriers of the virus. They have developed complications not due to the virus but as their own immune system attacks the body believing that there is a virus. These cases have been noted in the first and second wave. Influenza is a different group of viruses and every season we see children infected with the virus. Due to the stress that pandemic has created on the health infrastructure, vulnerable children are advised to opt for the vaccine. It must be taken only after consulting a paediatrician.”

Efficacy of flu vaccine is between 60 to 70 per cent and experts state that it helps to protect from severity of pneumonia. The moot point is to avoid admission in intensive care units as that becomes a challenge.

There are also debates on whether children will be protected from coronavirus due to the cross immunity. But experts opine that it is too preliminary and there is more research required to understand protection in both virus groups.