AMMAN — Minister
of State for Media Affairs
Faisal Shboul said that the decision to postpone the
start of the second academic semester for public and
private schools (KG–high
school), came partly as a result of recommendations by epidemiologists who expressed
concern that Omicron could have a stronger health impact on children, and as a
measure to limit the rapid spread of the variant, which has been recording
increased numbers since December 2021.
اضافة اعلان
Shboul said that studies have indicated that
56 percent of
Omicron patients are under the age of 34, and according to the Epidemiological
Committee’s findings, children are more affected by the Omicron variant, unlike
previous mutations which had a stronger impact on the elderly.
The government estimates that the peak of the
fourth wave, also known as the Omicron wave, is expected during February 15–20,
and thus there is concern that children in schools will be infected, which
could lead to some children passing on the virus to their parents and other
people at their respective households.
Doctor Azmi Mahafzah, a virologist and former
Minister of Education, told
Jordan News that “while the Omicron is currently
the most infectious variant, meaning it is undergoing a rapid spread, this does
not necessarily mean that Omicron is the most dangerous variant for children.”
During the first wave of the pandemic,
children under the age of 15 years made up 8 percent of all infections in the
Kingdom. At present, Mahafzah said, it is possible that many children are
getting infected with Omicron, because of the relatively low vaccination rates
for that age group. The increase of Omicron was sudden and unexpected, which
may have contributed to rising infection rates, he said.
“We should be aware that there are more asymptomatic
cases than symptomatic when analyzing COVID-19 in general, and there are much
more undocumented cases than documented, because of the absence of symptoms, or
due to mild symptoms among children and other groups,” Mahafzah noted.
Generally, the risks associated with Omicron
infection are lower for children than adults, and the death rate among children
globally and locally is very low despite some cases of hospitalization,
according to Mahafzah. However, there are some risks on children who get
Omicron or other variants, like potential complications on certain organs three
weeks from the onset of COVID-19 infection, but this is rare and treatable, and
COVID-19, in all its variants, is usually mild on children and does not cause
serious illness. Therefore, Mahafzah maintained that he is a proponent of
vaccinating children.
Given that children might still be infected
while staying at home, Mahafzah is skeptical that postponing the academic
semester to February 20 is an absolutely crucial measure, because children can
still be vulnerable to infection even when they are at home. “Contrarily, in
the school, there are mask regulations and testing equipment available.”
Najwa Khoury, a member of the
National Epidemiology Committee, told
Jordan News:
“When we say that children can be particularly vulnerable to Omicron, we are
saying this in comparison to the effect of other variants on children.” She added that while the full impact of this
variant is still being analyzed, it remains necessary to prevent children from
being exposed to Omicron infections as a preventative measure due to its rapid
spread at the moment.
Khoury believes that it is absolutely
important to encourage school children and adults alike to get vaccinated, including
getting the booster shot. Initially,
adults were highly encouraged to get vaccinated, and while this is still the
case, there is now a special focus on children’s vaccination, especially given
the fact that schools are reopening and resuming classroom education,” Khoury added.
Children up to five years old can get the
COVID-19 vaccine, and symptoms of Omicron affecting children are often similar
to other variants, including fevers, sore throats, and coughing.
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