Child COVID-19 Cases Up 1,000 Percent In The Last 3 Weeks

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JAKARTA - The Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) recorded a spike in COVID-19 cases that infect children over the past three weeks. The increase reached 1,000 percent in just three weeks.

Head of IDAI Piprim Basarah Yanuarso explained, as of January 24, 2022, the number of pediatric COVID-19 patients in Indonesia was 676 people. Then, as of January 31, it increased to 2,775 children. Then, as of February 7, the number of cases increased to 7,990 children.

"When compared to January 24 to February 7, it means that (child COVID-19 cases) have increased by more than 1,000 percent or 10 times. So, the trend is extraordinary," said Piprim in a virtual discussion, quoted on Thursday, February 10.

Of the many cases of COVID-19 in children amid the transmission of the Omicron variant, Pripim asked parents not to worry if their child was infected.

"If a child has been exposed to COVID-19, don't panic first. This, parents, if their child is positive, usually the first panic is there. Don't panic, because panic blocks the mind. We can't think about anything," said Pripim .

Pripim asked parents to immediately conduct telemedicine services by monitoring the child's symptoms. Pripim appealed to parents not to give any medicine to their children.

"Don't give drugs carelessly because COVID-19 drugs should be given by doctors and only given to those with moderate and severe symptoms," he explained.

Furthermore, Pimprim asked parents to always take care of their children in their activities and try not to invite their children to public places that have the potential to be crowded.

"Currently it is not recommended to bring children to crowds, to malls, shopping centers, to watch movies, especially when they are in an environment with closed ventilation," he added.