<span style="color: #222222;">Union Health Ministry has come out with a protocol for management of COVID-19 in the Paediatric Age Group. The Ministry said, children with COVID-19 infection may be asymptomatic, mildly symptomatic, moderately sick or severe illness. As per the protocol, Asymptomatic children are usually identified while screening, if family members are identified. Such children do not require any treatment except monitoring for development of symptoms and subsequent treatment according to assessed severity. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">It said, children with mild disease may present with sore throat, rhinorrhea, cough with no breathing difficulty and few children may have gastrointestinal symptoms also. It said, such children do not need any investigations.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">As per the protocol, these children can be managed at home with home isolation and symptomatic treatment. It said, treatment of mild illness in home isolation is symptomatic. There should be regular communication to the doctor or health care worker. Parents and caregivers should be explained whom to contact in case of emergency.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">As per the protocol, children with moderate COVID-19 disease should be admitted in Dedicated COVID Health Centre or Secondary level Healthcare Facility and monitored for clinical progress. Children with SpO2 level less than 90 per cent are categorized as having a severe degree of COVID-19 infection. Such children may be having severe pneumonia, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Septic Shock, Multi-organ dysfunction syndrome or pneumonia. Such children should be admitted in Dedicated COVID Hospital, Secondary or Tertiary level healthcare facility.</span><br />''  <br />