Russia (bbabo.net), - From today until February 13, students from the 7th to the 11th grade have been transferred to distance learning in St. Petersburg. Earlier, institutions of additional education were transferred to distance learning. Sanitary services state: among the children who became infected with the coronavirus in this wave, most of them are of school age. That is why doctors recommend that children from 12 to 17 years old be vaccinated. The first batch of Sputnik-M vaccine has arrived in the city.

Since the beginning of the epidemic in St. Petersburg, more than a million infected have already been identified. Moreover, with the advent of the strain "omicron" children began to get sick more often. So far, of that million, only 12 per cent are children, but it is clear that this figure will increase.

“As for children from zero to 17 years old, in the fourth calendar week of the year, compared to the third week, the incidence in the city increased by 210 percent. In the fourth week, more than 25,000 children fell ill,” said Irina Kataeva, deputy head of the epidemiological surveillance department of Rospotrebnadzor for St. Petersburg.

According to Dmitry Lisovets, chairman of the city health committee, 993 hospital beds have been deployed for children with coronavirus. Free beds - a quarter. However, due to a sharp increase in the incidence among the child population, a decision was made to provide additional beds. Already yesterday, 64 beds were opened in the Children's City Hospital No. 22, 35 beds will also be deployed at the St. Petersburg State Pediatric Medical University (and 50 more beds will be opened there if the need arises).

But there is also good news. As Elena Donduley, head of the boxed infectious diseases department of the Filatov Children's City Clinical Hospital No. 5, said, doctors generally record a milder course of coronavirus in children than in previous waves. That is, the increase in the number of hospitalizations is associated with a jump in the incidence, and not with an increase in the number of more severe forms of the disease. Moreover, in many cases, the signs of the disease are indistinguishable from those that give us all the known SARS. And the massive incidence of children, by the way, may be a sign that says: the end of the pandemic is not far off.

Nevertheless, doctors do not hide: yes, deaths among children have also been recorded in the city for the pandemic. So, in the aforementioned Children's Hospital No. 5, which took over the main flow of small patients with coronavirus, there were four sad outcomes in 2020 and one last year. The Pediatric Medical University has four cases each in 2020 and 2021, and three this year. But all these children had an extremely severe comorbidity.

Doctors refute the information spread on the Internet that the Omicron strain gives some unusual signs of the disease in children. Nothing unusual, and as for the rash that frightens many, as it was in two percent of children with coronavirus in other strains of COVID-19, it remained. As well as gastric disorders observed in a quarter of the guys.

Since schoolchildren still get sick most often among children, doctors strongly recommend that parents consider vaccinating their boys and girls (up to 15 years old, a child can be vaccinated only with the consent of one of the parents, from the age of 15 this decision is made by the child himself, but everyone understands: in In most cases, he will do as mom and dad advise). Recall: the Sputnik-M vaccine is intended for children from 12 years old.

Officials emphasize: vaccination of children is voluntary. There are no standards that so many percent should be vaccinated. But parents should understand: vaccination is a reliable protection against the occurrence of a severe course of the disease, regardless of the strain of the virus. It is desirable that all children who do not have contraindications are vaccinated. And above all - from risk groups. By the way, the first, so far small batch of Sputnik-M vaccine (less than three thousand doses) is "leaving" at a rather rapid pace. Several hundred children have already been vaccinated. The next batch is coming soon.

Now vaccination of children is carried out in 59 points opened on the basis of children's polyclinics.

- So far, we have received a little vaccine for children in the region - 250 doses. Especially for the organization of points on the basis of children's polyclinics, we have been allocated money for the purchase of refrigeration equipment. Each item has two freezers. The vaccine came in packages designed for one child. You can get vaccinated both on a “live queue” and by electronic appointment, which is more convenient for everyone, the Nevsky district health department of the city specified.

There is no clear answer to the question of when high school students will be able to go to school again. The city authorities will look at the change in the epidemiological situation.

By the way

Petersburg received 200,000 rapid tests for coronavirus. They will be transferred to the ambulance service.Since the city has so far received a limited amount of vaccine for children, it is first of all recommended to vaccinate children who are at risk for diseases: the musculoskeletal system, eyes, circulatory and digestive organs, and the endocrine system.

You can sign up through the Gorzdrav portal, by calling the single information and reference telephone number 122, as well as directly contacting polyclinics.

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