• Children over two years with mild symptoms will be transferred to other intermediate care centres
• Children who do not have symptoms to be sent home to minimise congestion
• Kids under two years to remain in hospital
• 20,000 children among them were 14 years and below

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama

Around 45,000 children up to 18 years of age in the country have been tested positive for coronavirus, Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children (LRH) Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Deepal Perera said.

He told the Daily Mirror that 20,000 children among them were 14 years and below. However, during the past two years, 14 children have died of COVID infections. With the increase in the number of positive cases among children, the LRH has decided to send the children home who do not have symptoms to minimise the congestion in the hospital environment.

The children who do not have COVID symptoms will be monitored through phones. However, the children who are less than two years of age will be kept in the hospital and children over two years will be shifted to home care. Meanwhile, children who are over two years with mild symptoms will be transferred to other intermediate care centres. There is a rapid increase in the number of COVID infected children and the hospital staff are finding it difficult to handle them, he said. He advised the parents to make the maximum effort not to take the virus home since the children were not vaccinated. Also, it would be appreciated if the Government takes urgent steps to vaccinate those from the age group of 14 to 30.

• There is a rapid increase in the number of COVID infected children and the hospital staff are finding it difficult to handle them