Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 Infection in India: Expert Opinion without Evidence Leading to Public Health Policy Paralysis

Abstract

By January 2021, sections of scientific community started to believe that India had overcome the pandemic and acquired herd immunity [1]. In March, 2021 the Indian government cited results from serological surveys and India’s main computer model predicting disease spread in the “endgame” of the pandemic [2]. It was followed by national negligence of social-distancing norms, non-compliance of personal protective measures, mass political and social congregations. Double mutant SARS-CoV-2 virus variant and systemic shortfalls in immunization program emerged as unfortunate and man-made crises respectively. As a result, by August, 2021 India is expected to witness 1 million deaths from CoVID-19 [3].