How kids in other nations are faring

More children have been infected in the second and subsequent waves of the coronavirus in some countries.

However, most countries do not keep national data about children infected with Covid-19. Instead, these figures are usually kept by individual states and provinces.

Collating state data, the American Academy of Paediatrics said that as at May 13, more than 3.9 million child Covid-19 cases were reported. This is 14 per cent of all cases.

Between 0.1 per cent and 1.9 per cent of all child cases resulted in hospitalisation.

Children accounted for less than 0.21 per cent of all Covid-19 deaths. About 140 children under four have died.

The United States last week vaccinated 600,000 teens between 12 and 15 years old with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Since January, about 12 to 15 children aged eight to 14 have been hospitalised every week for post-Covid-19 complications called paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (Pims), official statistics say.

These complications show up as cough, rashes, fever, low blood pressure and abdominal pain.

Studies show that 47 per cent of those with Pims - a rare but extreme immune response - were of Afro-Caribbean origin and 28 per cent were of Asian origin.

The Health Ministry said 832 children under five years old have died of Covid-19. Other reports suggest that 2,060 children under nine have died, including 1,302 babies.

Of the total number of Covid-19 cases as at March 24, 4.19 per cent were children below 10 years old, and 6.76 per cent were aged between 10 and 19.

But deaths among children are extremely rare, the government has said.

The coronavirus variant first found in Britain is prevalent among Italy's infected children, some experts have warned. They said schools must be reopened with caution.

More than 50,000 children and teens tested positive in January, more than during the first and second waves of Covid-19 infection, largely because of the more contagious variant first detected in Britain.

The vaccination drive is now expanded to 12-to 15-year-olds.