19 Oct 2020

Although 643 children have tested positive for COVID-19 since its advent in Botswana, their infection and hospitalisation rates remain very low. 

 Updating the nation recently, presidential COVID-19 task team scientific advisor, Dr Mogomotsi Matshaba, said most of the infected children were only  admitted to curb the spread of the virus not necessarily because of critical health status.

One child mortality had been recorded thus far, he said.

Dr Matshaba said of the  643 infections, 148 were newborn to five years adding that the infection rate was fairly balanced across both genders.

He said research had also revealed that the transmission rate in children was much lower than in adults adding  studies were ongoing to establish reasons behind the low level.

Dr Matshaba however noted that critically ill children did not have other underlying conditions affecting their immune systems.

He pleaded with parents to allow children to live normal lives since too much restriction might lead to psychological and mental  breakdowns consequently affecting their development.

He said examination-writing children required psycho-social support from all stakeholders as they had to deal with both COVID-19 and examinations-related anxiety as well as depression. 

Dr Matshaba stated that less than 10 learners were hospitalised with one sitting for examinations.

Special attention needed to be extended to people with disabilities, he said.

For her part, Sir Ketumile Teaching Hospital assistant programme director Dr Unami Mulale stated that most of the child admissions had either  mild symptoms or were asymptomatic with less than 10 offered oxygen support.

She said most of the children admitted were newborns who were hospitalised as a result of being born to COVID-19 mothers.

 “All babies  born to COVID-19 parents are fully tested to establish their status and they are also subjected to a COVID-19 test on day 10 when the parents are discharged from the hospital,” she said.

Dr Mulale said the set protocols for curbing the spread of the virus had played an important role in preventing children from being infected with other common communicable diseases.

She noted that Botswana normally experienced high pneumonia and diarrhoea mortality among under fives this time of  the year.

Compliance to COVID-19 protocols had also reduced cases of other physical illnesses, she said. 

Parents were therefore urged to continue practising COVID-19 protocols as they had proven  effective in curbing illnesses triggered by poor hygiene. Ends