Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal asked the Centre to cancel all air services between India and Singapore with immediate effect, saying a new strain of the 2019 SARS coronavirus found in the country is said to be “very dangerous” for children.
“This new strain of virus could invade India in the form of a third wave,” he said in a tweet in Hindi.
“The new form of coronavirus in Singapore is said to be very dangerous for children. It could reach Delhi in the form of a third wave. My appeal to the Central government: 1. Cancel all air services with Singapore with immediate effect 2. Work on vaccine alternatives for children on a priority basis,” Kejriwal added in the tweet.
The Government of India said, it is keeping an eye on report of Singapore COVID-19 variant affecting children as well. NITI Aayog’s member Dr VK Paul reiterated that the government has a protocol in place about the effects of COVID-19 on children, adding that they reassure kids don’t get a serious infection.
Singapore government has dismissed media reports quoting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that a very dangerous” strain of the coronavirus was prevalent in the city state, saying there is no truth whatsoever in such assertions.
As far as vaccines go, India doesn’t have a vaccine for children under 18. The DCGI has approved clinical trials of Bharat Biotech’s COVAXIN among children, but that would take months to complete.
Globally, the only vaccine that has been approved for children is Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine for children between the ages of 12 and 15 years.
