The rise of the Delta variant, which seems to attack children more, casts a shadow over the start of the school year which will take place in less than a month.
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Several experts are worried about the impact of the variant, which is more contagious, on children and advocate the implementation of measures to avoid the worst.
“It worries us a lot about the start of the school year and the peak of cases. And not just that. All the other viruses and everyone who will be afraid of having the virus, there will be a greater influx of emergencies, ”fears Dr. Antonio D’Angelo, head of the emergency at CHU Sainte-Justine.
“Until now, we have seen that the virus has not been very good for children, but that could change over time. If the virus remains in that basin, it may also mutate in that basin and perhaps change to be more aggressive, ”he adds in an interview with LCN.
The government and the population will therefore have to put in place various measures to protect them, believe doctors.
Various specialists around the world, including Dr Anthony Fauci, argue that the fourth wave is that of the unvaccinated.
However, children under 12 cannot receive a vaccine against COVID-19 since they have not been approved for this age group.
Collective immunity, achieved when a sufficient percentage of the population is vaccinated, could help protect children.
But because the Delta variant is much more contagious than the original virus, the percentage of fully vaccinated people required is higher than the rate of 75% initially set by the Canadian government.
“We calculated it with a colleague this morning, it was around 85% as the basis necessary to confer adequate protection given the high level of contagiousness of the virus”, explains Dr Amir Khadir, infectious microbiologist.
In addition to the use of the face cover which is recommended in schools, the installation of CO2 sensors to ensure good ventilation of the premises is also important, argues Amir Khadir.
“Minister Roberge and the government had promised in June to launch a call for tenders to equip all schools with CO2 sensors,” he recalls.
The microbiologist regrets, however, that the calls for tenders have not yet been launched.
“We have three weeks left before the start of the school year, we really have to step up, that’s a measure we can act on,” he said.
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