As a result of COVID-19, 1.5 million children worldwide have lost a parent, custodial grandparent, or another person who cared for them, according to a collaborative study published in The Lancet.

During the first 14 months of the pandemic, more than 1 million children lost one or both parents, and another half a million children lost a grandmother caregiver living in their own home, according to the report.

Researchers extrapolated findings using COVID-19 mortality data from March 2020 to April 2021, as well as national fertility numbers for 21 nations, to arrive at worldwide estimations.

COVID-19 has resulted in the deaths of 1 million children, 1.1 million children who have lost a parent or custodial grandmother, and more than 1.5 million children who have lost a parent, custodial grandparent, or other secondary familial caregivers.

Children who have lost a parent or caregiver face serious short- and long-term consequences to their health, safety, and well-being, including an increased risk of sickness, physical abuse, sexual violence, and adolescent pregnancy, to name a few.

The researchers call for immediate action in COVID-19 response plans to address the impact of caregiver fatalities on children.

There were an estimated 140 million orphaned children globally before the pandemic.

Mental health issues, familial poverty, and physical, emotional, and sexual assault are all higher dangers for these youngsters.

(With inputs from agencies)

As a result of COVID-19, 1.5 million children worldwide have lost a parent, custodial grandparent, or another person who cared for them, according to a collaborative study published in The Lancet.

As a result of COVID-19, 1.5 million children worldwide have lost a parent, custodial grandparent, or another person who cared for them, according to a collaborative study published in The Lancet. During the first 14 months of the pandemic, more than 1 million children lost one or both parents, and another half a million children lost a grandmother caregiver living in their own home, according to the report. Researchers extrapolated findings using COVID-19 mortality data from March 2020 to April 2021, as well as national fertility numbers for 21 nations, to arrive at worldwide estimations. COVID-19 has resulted in the deaths of 1 million children, 1.1 million children who have lost a parent or custodial grandmother, and more than 1.5 million children who have lost a parent, custodial grandparent, or other secondary familial caregivers. Children who have lost a parent or caregiver face serious short- and long-term consequences to their health, safety, and well-being, including an increased risk of sickness, physical abuse, sexual violence, and adolescent pregnancy, to name a few. The researchers call for immediate action in COVID-19 response plans to address the impact of caregiver fatalities on children. There were an estimated 140 million orphaned children globally before the pandemic. Mental health issues, familial poverty, and physical, emotional, and sexual assault are all higher dangers for these youngsters. (With inputs from agencies)

A silent tragedy: 1.5 million children worldwide lost a parent or caregiver due to COVID-19, says study

Expressing optimism, US President Joe Biden said that young children would soon become eligible for COVID-19 inoculations.

Speaking at a televised town hall in Cincinnati, hosted by CNN, Biden said that children under 12, who are currently ineligible for the three coronavirus vaccines, could get shots by August or later in the fall.

At the town hall, Biden said, "They’re not promising me any specific date, but my expectation, talking to the scientists is that sometimes, maybe in the beginning of the school year, at the end of August, beginning of September, October, you’ll get a final approval” for vaccinating kids. But, he added, the ultimate decision lay with officials at the FDA and CDC. “I do not tell any scientists what they should do. I do not interfere".

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He further said that the CDC would probably recommend that “everyone under the age of 12 should probably be wearing masks in school”.

COVID-19 cases in the US have tripled in the past two weeks.&nbsp;

Also, as per the CDC, only 56.2 per cent of Americans have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine.

Biden also expressed frustration that many Americans who were eligible for vaccines were not getting them. He said, "We have a pandemic for those who haven’t gotten the vaccination – it’s that basic, that simple,” Biden said. “If you’re vaccinated, you’re not going to be hospitalised, you’re not going to be in the IC unit, and you’re not going to die".

Expressing optimism, US President Joe Biden said that young children would soon become eligible for COVID-19 inoculations. Speaking at a televised town hall in Cincinnati, hosted by CNN, Biden said that children under 12, who are currently ineligible for the three coronavirus vaccines, could get shots by August or later in the fall.

Expressing optimism, US President Joe Biden said that young children would soon become eligible for COVID-19 inoculations. Speaking at a televised town hall in Cincinnati, hosted by CNN, Biden said that children under 12, who are currently ineligible for the three coronavirus vaccines, could get shots by August or later in the fall. At the town hall, Biden said, "They’re not promising me any specific date, but my expectation, talking to the scientists is that sometimes, maybe in the beginning of the school year, at the end of August, beginning of September, October, you’ll get a final approval” for vaccinating kids. But, he added, the ultimate decision lay with officials at the FDA and CDC. “I do not tell any scientists what they should do. I do not interfere". Also read | China, Russia protecting, maybe even accommodating hackers: Biden He further said that the CDC would probably recommend that “everyone under the age of 12 should probably be wearing masks in school”. COVID-19 cases in the US have tripled in the past two weeks. Also, as per the CDC, only 56.2 per cent of Americans have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine. Biden also expressed frustration that many Americans who were eligible for vaccines were not getting them. He said, "We have a pandemic for those who haven’t gotten the vaccination – it’s that basic, that simple,” Biden said. “If you’re vaccinated, you’re not going to be hospitalised, you’re not going to be in the IC unit, and you’re not going to die".

Biden says children under 12 could be eligible for COVID-19 vaccines soon

About 23 million children missed routine vaccinations last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the greatest number in more than a decade, fuelling outbreaks of measles, polio, and other avoidable diseases, UN agencies said.

The WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund said in an annual report that the worldwide vaccination coverage gap has created a "perfect storm," leaving more children vulnerable to infectious infections as many countries relax COVID-19 regulations.&nbsp;

Removing restrictions has the potential to increase not only COVID-19 transmission, but also the spread of diseases that are ordinarily vaccine-preventable.&nbsp; 
 
Watch: Zydus Cadila COVID-19 vaccine for kids likely to get DCGI's nod

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/zydus-cadila-covid-19-vaccine-for-kids-likely-to-get-dcgis-nod-397631/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"In 2021, we have potentially a perfect storm about to happen," Kate O'Brien, head of the WHO's vaccines and immunisation department said.

According to the World Health Organization, measles, one of the world's most contagious illnesses, can be fatal to children under the age of five, especially in African and Asian nations with weak health systems.

Polio can permanently disable a youngster.&nbsp;

Regarding a key indicator of childhood vaccination rates, ten countries, led by India and Nigeria, account for the majority of the 22.7 million children who are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) in 2020 – 3.7 million more than in 2019 and the most since 2009.&nbsp;

There has been an “alarming increase” in “zero dose” children – those missing out on any vaccination – which rose to 17.1 million last year from 13.6 million, said Ephrem Lemango, UNICEF chief of immunisation. Many live in war-torn countries or slums, he said.

Sixty-six countries postponed at least one immunisation campaign against preventable diseases, although some including Mexico have begun catch-up programmes, the report said.

(With inputs from agencies)

About 23 million children missed routine vaccinations last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the greatest number in more than a decade, fuelling outbreaks of measles, polio, and other avoidable diseases, UN agencies said.

About 23 million children missed routine vaccinations last year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the greatest number in more than a decade, fuelling outbreaks of measles, polio, and other avoidable diseases, UN agencies said. The WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund said in an annual report that the worldwide vaccination coverage gap has created a "perfect storm," leaving more children vulnerable to infectious infections as many countries relax COVID-19 regulations. Removing restrictions has the potential to increase not only COVID-19 transmission, but also the spread of diseases that are ordinarily vaccine-preventable. Watch: Zydus Cadila COVID-19 vaccine for kids likely to get DCGI's nod "In 2021, we have potentially a perfect storm about to happen," Kate O'Brien, head of the WHO's vaccines and immunisation department said. According to the World Health Organization, measles, one of the world's most contagious illnesses, can be fatal to children under the age of five, especially in African and Asian nations with weak health systems. Polio can permanently disable a youngster. Regarding a key indicator of childhood vaccination rates, ten countries, led by India and Nigeria, account for the majority of the 22.7 million children who are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTP) in 2020 – 3.7 million more than in 2019 and the most since 2009. There has been an “alarming increase” in “zero dose” children – those missing out on any vaccination – which rose to 17.1 million last year from 13.6 million, said Ephrem Lemango, UNICEF chief of immunisation. Many live in war-torn countries or slums, he said. Sixty-six countries postponed at least one immunisation campaign against preventable diseases, although some including Mexico have begun catch-up programmes, the report said. (With inputs from agencies)

Kids' future at risk: 23 million missed out on routine vaccinations due to COVID-19

Dozens of children live and work in sweltering heat in the Mindoube landfill in the Gabonese capital Libreville, searching for copper or aluminium items they can then resell. In Gabon, one of Africa's largest oil producers and one of the richest per capita in the region, one-third of the population lived below the poverty line in 2017, says the World Bank. "There are a lot of children here who...spend all their time in the landfill," says an activist.

Going to waste: The children who survive on Gabon's garbage dumps

Physical punishment of children is not effective in preventing child behaviour problems or promoting positive outcomes, according to a substantial narrative review.

The study predicts that punishments such as spanking increases in behaviour problems and other negative consequences over time. 
&nbsp; 
The Lancet jouurnal published a study by an international group of academics, including a researcher from The University of Texas in Austin.

The research evaluated 69 studies into corporal punishment conducted over the past 20 years. 
&nbsp; 
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), almost 300 million, or three-quarters, of the world's two- to four-year-old children are subjected to psychological abuse, physical punishment, or both by their caregivers at home. 
&nbsp; 
Sixty-two countries have banned the practice, which is increasingly seen as a form of violence. 
&nbsp; 
The consistency of these findings indicates that physical punishment is harmful to children and that policy remedies are warranted. 
&nbsp; 
The researchers looked at studies that involved physical punishment, such as spanking, and ruled out any practices that would be considered child abuse. 
&nbsp; 
The researchers discovered plenty of data to back up a UN statement from the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which urged that countries stop using all forms of physical punishment on children. 
&nbsp; 
UNICEF is urging governments to take immediate action and support measures such as developing well-coordinated national action plans, changing adult behaviours, limiting access to firearms and other weapons, and educating children, parents, teachers, and community members to recognise and report violence in all of its forms. 
&nbsp; 
(With inputs from agencies)

Physical punishment of children is not effective in preventing child behaviour problems or promoting positive outcomes, according to a substantial narrative review.

Physical punishment of children is not effective in preventing child behaviour problems or promoting positive outcomes, according to a substantial narrative review. The study predicts that punishments such as spanking increases in behaviour problems and other negative consequences over time. The Lancet jouurnal published a study by an international group of academics, including a researcher from The University of Texas in Austin. The research evaluated 69 studies into corporal punishment conducted over the past 20 years. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), almost 300 million, or three-quarters, of the world's two- to four-year-old children are subjected to psychological abuse, physical punishment, or both by their caregivers at home. Sixty-two countries have banned the practice, which is increasingly seen as a form of violence. The consistency of these findings indicates that physical punishment is harmful to children and that policy remedies are warranted. The researchers looked at studies that involved physical punishment, such as spanking, and ruled out any practices that would be considered child abuse. The researchers discovered plenty of data to back up a UN statement from the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which urged that countries stop using all forms of physical punishment on children. UNICEF is urging governments to take immediate action and support measures such as developing well-coordinated national action plans, changing adult behaviours, limiting access to firearms and other weapons, and educating children, parents, teachers, and community members to recognise and report violence in all of its forms. (With inputs from agencies)

Spanking harmful to children, worsens their behaviour: Lancet study

More than 8,500 children were used as soldiers last year in various conflicts across the world and nearly 2,700 others were killed, the United Nations said on Monday. 
 
UN&nbsp;chief Antonio Guterres` annual report to the Security Council on children and armed conflict covers the killing, maiming and sexual abuse of children, abduction or recruitment, denial of aid access and targeting of schools and hospitals. 
 
The report verified that violations had been committed against 19,379 children in 21 conflicts. The most violations in 2020 were committed in Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. 
 
It verified that 8,521 children were used as soldiers last year, while another 2,674 children were killed and 5,748 injured in various conflicts. 
 
The report also includes a blacklist intended to shame parties to conflicts in the hope of pushing them to implement measures to protect children. The list has long been controversial with diplomats saying Saudi Arabia and Israel both exerted pressure in recent years in a bid to stay off the list. 
 
Israel has never been listed, while a Saudi-led military coalition was removed from the list in 2020 several years after it was first named and shamed for killing and injuring children in Yemen. 
 
In an effort to dampen controversy surrounding the report, the blacklist released in 2017 by Guterres was split into two categories. One lists parties that have put in place measures to protect children and the other includes parties that have not. 
 
There were few significant changes to the lists released on Monday. The only state parties named on the list for not putting measures in place are Myanmar`s military - for killing, maiming and sexual violence against children - and Syrian government forces - for recruitment of children, killing, maiming and sexual violence against children and attacks on schools and hospitals.

More than 8,500 children were used as soldiers last year in various conflicts across the world and nearly 2,700 others were killed, the United Nations said on Monday.

More than 8,500 children were used as soldiers last year in various conflicts across the world and nearly 2,700 others were killed, the United Nations said on Monday. UN chief Antonio Guterres` annual report to the Security Council on children and armed conflict covers the killing, maiming and sexual abuse of children, abduction or recruitment, denial of aid access and targeting of schools and hospitals. The report verified that violations had been committed against 19,379 children in 21 conflicts. The most violations in 2020 were committed in Somalia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen. It verified that 8,521 children were used as soldiers last year, while another 2,674 children were killed and 5,748 injured in various conflicts. The report also includes a blacklist intended to shame parties to conflicts in the hope of pushing them to implement measures to protect children. The list has long been controversial with diplomats saying Saudi Arabia and Israel both exerted pressure in recent years in a bid to stay off the list. Israel has never been listed, while a Saudi-led military coalition was removed from the list in 2020 several years after it was first named and shamed for killing and injuring children in Yemen. In an effort to dampen controversy surrounding the report, the blacklist released in 2017 by Guterres was split into two categories. One lists parties that have put in place measures to protect children and the other includes parties that have not. There were few significant changes to the lists released on Monday. The only state parties named on the list for not putting measures in place are Myanmar`s military - for killing, maiming and sexual violence against children - and Syrian government forces - for recruitment of children, killing, maiming and sexual violence against children and attacks on schools and hospitals.

More than 8,500 children used as soldiers in 2020: UN

Standing in her kitchen Alma Beatriz Serrano Ramirez waves a small board in front of her phone, hoping the students watching on the other end are paying attention to the math lesson she is teaching.

Standing in her kitchen Alma Beatriz Serrano Ramirez waves a small board in front of her phone, hoping the students watching on the other end are paying attention to the math lesson she is teaching. The 38-year-old Honduran migrant had dreamed of settling in the United States but so far has only made it to the Mexican city of Matamoros, located on the banks of the Rio Grande River, which separates the two countries. Her pupils -- Adalid, Kimberly, Osval, and a handful of others -- are fellow migrants, many of whom are located some 90 kilometers (55 miles) away in Reynosa, another border town, where a camp of approximately 700 people has been established. While Covid-19 has wreaked havoc on so many aspects of life, it has been a busy time for the Sidewalk School, which was operating in-person in one migrant encampment in Matamoros and now reaches children in several cities along the border. In its online format, the program has welcomed students previously too embarrassed by their lack of education to set foot in a classroom. The classes, which are taught by asylum seekers who are former teachers or teaching assistants, are on everything from writing to math and even yoga and offer rare comfort to students in cities stretching from Tijuana on the Pacific coast to Matamoros near the Gulf of Mexico. Serrano Ramirez's students, who hail from Honduras, Guatemala, and Haiti, are among the countless refugees still flocking to the US border, convinced that President Joe Biden's new administration will let them in -- if only they ask. Finding the border firmly closed, they are now stuck in Mexico in a smattering of towns often controlled by drug traffickers, waiting for the US to review their refugee status requests. 'You get used to it' Serrano Ramirez, who used to teach in Honduras, said she never would have imagined the ordeal she went through just to teach in front of a phone. Compared to her prior classroom experience, the online classes she teaches are "really difficult, but as time passes, you get used to it," she said. Sidewalk School founder Felicia Rangel began the organization in Matamoros in 2018 after being shocked by the destitute conditions of several dozen migrants she met under a bridge. Although she doesn't speak Spanish, she felt moved to help the migrants, whom she saw as victims of former president Donald Trump's immigration policies. Rangel, whose father is Mexican but considers herself African-American, is a former school teacher who followed her husband from Houston to Brownsville. At first "it was just a matter of entertaining the children and teaching them a few things," said Ana Gabriela Martinez Fajardo, an asylum seeker who lives in Matamoros and teaches for the nonprofit. "As more and more children arrived, it became clear that proper classes were necessary because they weren't studying," the 26-year-old said. Sidewalk School began growing as migrants flocked to Matamoros in such numbers that they overflowed the tent camp made for 3,000 people. When Covid struck, Rangel and her co-director, Victor Cavazos, bought 300 digital tablets so that their students, age four to 18, would not be left without schooling. Anonymity of digital learning During the pandemic, the program has flourished. Many of the older students who did not know how to read and write found relief in the anonymity afforded by digital learning. "You can leave your screen off and no one has to see that you're in that kindergarten class," said Rangel, who reported that older pupils would sometimes leave the program in embarrassment over being placed with younger students. This is why even once making it to the United States, some parents continue to enroll their children in online courses rather than public schools, which Rangel says is regrettable. But it's not just the students who are slowly trickling into the United States: In recent months 17 of the 19 teachers have moved across the border, now living in places such as Kentucky, Michigan, or Virginia. However, two teachers are approaching the two-year anniversary of their arrival in Matamoros -- and are still waiting.

Migrant school forced online by Covid unites children on Mexico border

At least 11 people, including eight children, died after a Mumbai residential building collapsed on top of another building late on Wednesday, local officials said.

The incident occurred close to midnight in a northern suburb of Mumbai, officials said, adding that more people could be trapped inside the debris. Eight people were injured and have been moved to nearby hospitals, officials said.

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Local television showed pictures of rescue workers pulling out debris in a narrow lane, as relatives and onlookers milled about. 
 
Incidents of building collapses become more common in India's financial capital of Mumbai during the monsoon. Wednesday was the first day of heavy rains in the city.

At least 11 people, including eight children, died after a Mumbai residential building collapsed on top of another building late on Wednesday, local officials said.

At least 11 people, including eight children, died after a Mumbai residential building collapsed on top of another building late on Wednesday, local officials said. The incident occurred close to midnight in a northern suburb of Mumbai, officials said, adding that more people could be trapped inside the debris. Eight people were injured and have been moved to nearby hospitals, officials said. Also Read | Monsoon arrives in pandemic-hit Mumbai; IMD issues orange alert for Pune Local television showed pictures of rescue workers pulling out debris in a narrow lane, as relatives and onlookers milled about. Incidents of building collapses become more common in India's financial capital of Mumbai during the monsoon. Wednesday was the first day of heavy rains in the city.

Eleven dead, including eight children, in Mumbai building collapse

The government has come out with comprehensive guidelines for the management of COVID-19 among children in which Remdesivir has not been recommended and rational use of HRCT imaging has been suggested.

The guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the health ministry also said that steroids are harmful in asymptomatic and mild cases of infection.

The DGHS recommended steroids only in hospitalised moderately severe and critically ill COVID-19 cases under strict supervision. "Steroids should be used at the right time, in the right dose, and for the right duration. Self-medication of steroids must be avoided," it said.

The guidelines also said Remdesivir (an emergency use authorisation drug) is not recommended in children. "There is lack of sufficient safety and efficacy data with respect to Remdesivir in children below 18 years of age," the guidelines said. 
The guidelines suggested rational use of High-resolution CT (HRCT) for seeing the extent and nature of lung involvement in patients with COVID-19.

"However, any additional information gained from HRCT scan of the chest often has little impact on treatment decisions, which are based almost entirely on clinical severity and physiological impairment.

"Therefore, treating physicians should be highly selective in ordering HRCT imaging of the chest in COVID-19 patients," the guidelines said.

They said COVID-19 is a viral infection, and antimicrobials have no role in the prevention or treatment of uncomplicated COVID-19 infection

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-made-commitment-to-send-vaccines-to-india-says-us-nsa-389471">Also Read |&nbsp;Joe Biden made commitment to send vaccines to India, says US NSA</a>

For asymptomatic and mild cases, the guidelines said antimicrobials are not recommended for therapy or prophylaxis while for moderate and severe cases antimicrobials should not be prescribed unless there is clinical suspicion of a superadded infection. 
Hospital admission increases the risk of healthcare-associated infections with multidrug-resistant organisms.

For asymptomatic infection among children, the guidelines recommended no specific medication and promoted COVID-appropriate behaviour (mask, strict hand hygiene, physical distancing), and suggested giving a nutritious diet.

The guidelines said that for mild infection paracetamol 10-15mg/kg/dose may be given every 4-6 hours for fever and throat soothing agents and warm saline gargles in older children and adolescents have been recommended for cough. 
In case of moderate infection, the guidelines suggested initiating immediate oxygen therapy.

"Corticosteroids are not required in all children with moderate illness; they may be administered in rapidly progressive disease and anticoagulants may also be indicated," the guidelines said. For severe COVID-19 among children, the guidelines said if Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) develops, necessary management to be initiated.

"In case shock develops, necessary management should be initiated. Antimicrobials to be administered if there is evidence/strong suspicion of superadded bacterial infection. May need organ support in case of organ dysfunction, e.g.&nbsp;renal replacement therapy," it said.

The guidelines also recommended a six-minute walk test for children above 12 years under the supervision of parents/guardians. "It is a simple clinical test to assess cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance and is used to unmask hypoxia. Attach a pulse oximeter to his/her finger and ask the child to walk in the confines of their room for six minutes continuously," it said.

The government has come out with comprehensive guidelines for the management of COVID-19 among children in which Remdesivir has not been recommended and rational use of HRCT imaging has been suggested.

The government has come out with comprehensive guidelines for the management of COVID-19 among children in which Remdesivir has not been recommended and rational use of HRCT imaging has been suggested. The guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) under the health ministry also said that steroids are harmful in asymptomatic and mild cases of infection. The DGHS recommended steroids only in hospitalised moderately severe and critically ill COVID-19 cases under strict supervision. "Steroids should be used at the right time, in the right dose, and for the right duration. Self-medication of steroids must be avoided," it said. The guidelines also said Remdesivir (an emergency use authorisation drug) is not recommended in children. "There is lack of sufficient safety and efficacy data with respect to Remdesivir in children below 18 years of age," the guidelines said. The guidelines suggested rational use of High-resolution CT (HRCT) for seeing the extent and nature of lung involvement in patients with COVID-19. "However, any additional information gained from HRCT scan of the chest often has little impact on treatment decisions, which are based almost entirely on clinical severity and physiological impairment. "Therefore, treating physicians should be highly selective in ordering HRCT imaging of the chest in COVID-19 patients," the guidelines said. They said COVID-19 is a viral infection, and antimicrobials have no role in the prevention or treatment of uncomplicated COVID-19 infection Also Read | Joe Biden made commitment to send vaccines to India, says US NSA For asymptomatic and mild cases, the guidelines said antimicrobials are not recommended for therapy or prophylaxis while for moderate and severe cases antimicrobials should not be prescribed unless there is clinical suspicion of a superadded infection. Hospital admission increases the risk of healthcare-associated infections with multidrug-resistant organisms. For asymptomatic infection among children, the guidelines recommended no specific medication and promoted COVID-appropriate behaviour (mask, strict hand hygiene, physical distancing), and suggested giving a nutritious diet. The guidelines said that for mild infection paracetamol 10-15mg/kg/dose may be given every 4-6 hours for fever and throat soothing agents and warm saline gargles in older children and adolescents have been recommended for cough. In case of moderate infection, the guidelines suggested initiating immediate oxygen therapy. "Corticosteroids are not required in all children with moderate illness; they may be administered in rapidly progressive disease and anticoagulants may also be indicated," the guidelines said. For severe COVID-19 among children, the guidelines said if Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) develops, necessary management to be initiated. "In case shock develops, necessary management should be initiated. Antimicrobials to be administered if there is evidence/strong suspicion of superadded bacterial infection. May need organ support in case of organ dysfunction, e.g. renal replacement therapy," it said. The guidelines also recommended a six-minute walk test for children above 12 years under the supervision of parents/guardians. "It is a simple clinical test to assess cardiopulmonary exercise tolerance and is used to unmask hypoxia. Attach a pulse oximeter to his/her finger and ask the child to walk in the confines of their room for six minutes continuously," it said.

Indian govt issues guidelines on COVID-19 in children, says Remdesivir not recommended

Pfizer vaccine trials on children aged 5 through 11 are underway in the United States. The children underwent temperature and blood pressure checks before getting a shot of either the vaccine or a placebo.

United States: Pfizer vaccine trials underway for kids aged 5 to 11 years

The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected children's rights worldwide, with young people risking a "generational catastrophe" if governments do not act, a rights group said in an annual survey Thursday.

Millions of children have missed out on education because of Covid-19 restrictions while there will be a long term impact in terms of their physical and mental health, Dutch NGO KidsRights said as it launched its annual ranking.

The survey ranks Iceland, Switzerland and Finland as best for children's rights and Chad, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone as the worst, out of a total of 182 countries.

Marc Dulleart, founder and chairman of KidsRights, said that the effects of the pandemic on children had "unfortunately exceeded our predictions at the outset last year".

"Apart from patients of the coronavirus, children have been hardest hit, not directly by the virus itself, but fundamentally failed through the deferred actions of governments around the world," he said.

"Educational recovery is the key to avoiding generational catastrophe," Dulleart added.

The group said schools for more than 168 million children have been closed for almost a full year, with one in three children worldwide unable to access remote learning while their schools were shut.

An additional 142 million kids fell into material poverty as the global economy was hit by the pandemic, while 370 million kids missed out on school meals.

KidsRights paid tribute to Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford for his campaign to extend free school meals.&nbsp;

It also hailed Bangladesh for taking over a national TV channel for homeschooling and praised Belgium and Sweden for trying to keep schools open.

Meanwhile, 80 million children under the age of one could miss out on routine vaccination for other diseases because of disruption to healthcare systems, it said.

The report said there was also an "astonishing increase" in domestic violence during lockdowns, with children often the victims.&nbsp;

KidsRights included Palestine on its list for the first time, placing it in the 104th position due to a focus on healthcare despite difficult circumstances.

However, as in previous years, it gave low scores to Britain, Australia and New Zealand, due to a lack of legal protection for children relative to their wealth.

Britain and New Zealand were ranked at 169 and 168 respectively, below North Korea, Syria, Iraq, and Sudan, and just ahead of Eritrea.

Austria and Hungary also fell heavily due to discrimination.&nbsp;

The survey uses UN data to measure how countries measure up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected children's rights worldwide, with young people risking a "generational catastrophe" if governments do not act, a rights group said in an annual survey Thursday.

The coronavirus pandemic has severely affected children's rights worldwide, with young people risking a "generational catastrophe" if governments do not act, a rights group said in an annual survey Thursday. Millions of children have missed out on education because of Covid-19 restrictions while there will be a long term impact in terms of their physical and mental health, Dutch NGO KidsRights said as it launched its annual ranking. The survey ranks Iceland, Switzerland and Finland as best for children's rights and Chad, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone as the worst, out of a total of 182 countries. Marc Dulleart, founder and chairman of KidsRights, said that the effects of the pandemic on children had "unfortunately exceeded our predictions at the outset last year". "Apart from patients of the coronavirus, children have been hardest hit, not directly by the virus itself, but fundamentally failed through the deferred actions of governments around the world," he said. "Educational recovery is the key to avoiding generational catastrophe," Dulleart added. The group said schools for more than 168 million children have been closed for almost a full year, with one in three children worldwide unable to access remote learning while their schools were shut. An additional 142 million kids fell into material poverty as the global economy was hit by the pandemic, while 370 million kids missed out on school meals. KidsRights paid tribute to Manchester United and England footballer Marcus Rashford for his campaign to extend free school meals. It also hailed Bangladesh for taking over a national TV channel for homeschooling and praised Belgium and Sweden for trying to keep schools open. Meanwhile, 80 million children under the age of one could miss out on routine vaccination for other diseases because of disruption to healthcare systems, it said. The report said there was also an "astonishing increase" in domestic violence during lockdowns, with children often the victims. KidsRights included Palestine on its list for the first time, placing it in the 104th position due to a focus on healthcare despite difficult circumstances. However, as in previous years, it gave low scores to Britain, Australia and New Zealand, due to a lack of legal protection for children relative to their wealth. Britain and New Zealand were ranked at 169 and 168 respectively, below North Korea, Syria, Iraq, and Sudan, and just ahead of Eritrea. Austria and Hungary also fell heavily due to discrimination. The survey uses UN data to measure how countries measure up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Children risk 'generational catastrophe' from COVID-19: Watchdog

The third wave of COVID-19 is predicted to hit India later this year. WION tells you how the country is preparing for the deadly third wave and will this wave hit children?

COVID-19 third wave to hit India later this year; Will third wave hit children?

Two children and 16 adults were shot dead in a remote coca-growing area of Peru, the armed forces said on Monday, blaming the attack on members of the Shining Path guerrilla group.&nbsp;

The killings late on Sunday risk inflaming tensions amid a polarised campaign for the presidency between leftist Pedro Castillo and his rival from the right, Keiko Fujimori.&nbsp;

The villagers were mowed down at San Miguel del Ene in a coca-growing valley where members of the Maoist Shining Path group operate, according to the joint command of the armed forces.&nbsp;

The head of the police counter-terrorism unit, General Oscar Arriola, said the dead included 10 men, six women and two children.&nbsp;

In a statement, the armed forces command blamed the attack on fighters led by guerrilla leader Victor Quispe Palomino, or Comrade Jose.&nbsp;

President Francisco Sagasti on Twitter condemned the killings and ordered police and soldiers to the area to ensure "that this terrorist action does not go unpunished."&nbsp;

A specialized terrorism unit has been tasked with investigating the killings, which Defense Minister Nuria Esparch vowed "will not go unpunished."&nbsp;

At the scene of the killings, added the statement, pamphlets were left warning people not to take part in the 2021 election.&nbsp;

Police were alerted to the crime by neighbors in the early hours of Monday, and found the bodies, some of them burnt, in two bars on the banks of a small river, according to the region's mayor Alejandro Atao.&nbsp;

He told police that pamphlets signed by the Shining Path central committee were found near the bodies, vowing to rid the region and Peru of "parasites and the corrupt."&nbsp;

Most of the Shining Path's top leaders have been detained by the authorities, but Comrade Jose and other militants remain at large and active in Peru's coca-growing region, where the government says they collaborate with drug-traffickers. &nbsp;

Comrade Jose's brother, Jorge Quispe Palomino or Comrade Raul, died in January due to injuries sustained in an attack on a "terrorist camp," according to the authorities.&nbsp;

With Colombia and Bolivia, Peru is one of the world's main producers of coca leaves from which cocaine is derived, according to the UN.&nbsp;

Supporters of Fujimori, making her third bid for Peru's presidency, have tried to link rival Castillo to the Shining Path's political wing, known as Movadef.&nbsp;

Castillo, who had participated in armed "peasant patrols" that resisted Shining Path incursions during the height of Peru's internal conflict from 1980 to 2000, vehemently denies the allegations.&nbsp;

On Monday, he condemned on Twitter what he termed a "terrorist attack."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

Two children and 16 adults were shot dead in a remote coca-growing area of Peru, the armed forces said on Monday, blaming the attack on members of the Shining Path guerrilla group.

Two children and 16 adults were shot dead in a remote coca-growing area of Peru, the armed forces said on Monday, blaming the attack on members of the Shining Path guerrilla group. The killings late on Sunday risk inflaming tensions amid a polarised campaign for the presidency between leftist Pedro Castillo and his rival from the right, Keiko Fujimori. The villagers were mowed down at San Miguel del Ene in a coca-growing valley where members of the Maoist Shining Path group operate, according to the joint command of the armed forces. The head of the police counter-terrorism unit, General Oscar Arriola, said the dead included 10 men, six women and two children. In a statement, the armed forces command blamed the attack on fighters led by guerrilla leader Victor Quispe Palomino, or Comrade Jose. President Francisco Sagasti on Twitter condemned the killings and ordered police and soldiers to the area to ensure "that this terrorist action does not go unpunished." A specialized terrorism unit has been tasked with investigating the killings, which Defense Minister Nuria Esparch vowed "will not go unpunished." At the scene of the killings, added the statement, pamphlets were left warning people not to take part in the 2021 election. Police were alerted to the crime by neighbors in the early hours of Monday, and found the bodies, some of them burnt, in two bars on the banks of a small river, according to the region's mayor Alejandro Atao. He told police that pamphlets signed by the Shining Path central committee were found near the bodies, vowing to rid the region and Peru of "parasites and the corrupt." Most of the Shining Path's top leaders have been detained by the authorities, but Comrade Jose and other militants remain at large and active in Peru's coca-growing region, where the government says they collaborate with drug-traffickers. Comrade Jose's brother, Jorge Quispe Palomino or Comrade Raul, died in January due to injuries sustained in an attack on a "terrorist camp," according to the authorities. With Colombia and Bolivia, Peru is one of the world's main producers of coca leaves from which cocaine is derived, according to the UN. Supporters of Fujimori, making her third bid for Peru's presidency, have tried to link rival Castillo to the Shining Path's political wing, known as Movadef. Castillo, who had participated in armed "peasant patrols" that resisted Shining Path incursions during the height of Peru's internal conflict from 1980 to 2000, vehemently denies the allegations. On Monday, he condemned on Twitter what he termed a "terrorist attack." (With inputs from agencies)

Two children among 18 killed in Peru by rebel group ahead of election

The Wuhan Virus is now infecting children. Singapore says virus is 'attacking' children more. Brazil is reporting a rise in 'child deaths' & Taiwan has shut down all schools. Palki Sharma tells you why India can't ignore these global trends.

Gravitas: Wuhan virus is now infecting children

Are you planning to buy a new toy for your child? Does the toy you have on your mind contain magnets? HOLD ON! Watch this report by Palki Sharma first.

Gravitas: Rise in number of kids swallowing magnets

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the US border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults were found coming without families, authorities said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Authorities encountered 17,171 children traveling alone, down nine per cent from 18,960 in March, according to US Customs and Border Protection, but still well above the previous high of 11,475 reported in May 2019 by the Border Patrol, which began publishing numbers in 2009. &nbsp;

Overall, the Border Patrol's 173,460 encounters with migrants on the Mexican border in April were up three per cent from 169,213 in March, the highest level since April 2000. So, the number of illegal immigrants apprehended at the southern border hit a 21-year high last month.

The numbers aren't directly comparable because a solid majority of those stopped in April were quickly expelled from the country under federal pandemic-related powers that deny rights to seek asylum. Being expelled carries no legal consequences, so many people try to cross multiple times.&nbsp;

Border Patrol encounters with people coming in families fell in similar proportion to unaccompanied children, down 10 per cent to 48,226 from 53,406 in March. Slightly more than one of three family encounters resulted in pandemic-related expulsions. &nbsp;

The numbers offer the latest read on one of the most serious challenges to Joe Biden's young presidency. Despite some encouraging news in April on unaccompanied children and families, Biden has a lot riding on a new ‘humane’ asylum system that has yet to be unveiled. There don't appear to be quick, easy answers.&nbsp;

Single adults from Mexico and Central America drove the overall increase in activity in April. The Border Patrol had 108,301 encounters with adults traveling without children, up 12 per cent from 97,074 in March. Nearly nine of 10 adult encounters ended in expulsions under pandemic-related authority granted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.&nbsp;

Biden has exempted unaccompanied children from expulsion, allowing them to stay in the US while pursuing asylum claims. Families with young children are also often released in the US while their cases wind through the bottlenecked immigration court system.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the US border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults were found coming without families, authorities said on Tuesday.

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the US border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults were found coming without families, authorities said on Tuesday. Authorities encountered 17,171 children traveling alone, down nine per cent from 18,960 in March, according to US Customs and Border Protection, but still well above the previous high of 11,475 reported in May 2019 by the Border Patrol, which began publishing numbers in 2009. Overall, the Border Patrol's 173,460 encounters with migrants on the Mexican border in April were up three per cent from 169,213 in March, the highest level since April 2000. So, the number of illegal immigrants apprehended at the southern border hit a 21-year high last month. The numbers aren't directly comparable because a solid majority of those stopped in April were quickly expelled from the country under federal pandemic-related powers that deny rights to seek asylum. Being expelled carries no legal consequences, so many people try to cross multiple times. Border Patrol encounters with people coming in families fell in similar proportion to unaccompanied children, down 10 per cent to 48,226 from 53,406 in March. Slightly more than one of three family encounters resulted in pandemic-related expulsions. The numbers offer the latest read on one of the most serious challenges to Joe Biden's young presidency. Despite some encouraging news in April on unaccompanied children and families, Biden has a lot riding on a new ‘humane’ asylum system that has yet to be unveiled. There don't appear to be quick, easy answers. Single adults from Mexico and Central America drove the overall increase in activity in April. The Border Patrol had 108,301 encounters with adults traveling without children, up 12 per cent from 97,074 in March. Nearly nine of 10 adult encounters ended in expulsions under pandemic-related authority granted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Biden has exempted unaccompanied children from expulsion, allowing them to stay in the US while pursuing asylum claims. Families with young children are also often released in the US while their cases wind through the bottlenecked immigration court system. (With inputs from agencies)

Number of children travelling alone at US border eases in April 

Apex court judge and chairperson of the Supreme Court Juvenile Justice Committee S Ravindra Bhat Saturday said there was a need to step up measures to ensure better care, protection and well-being of children during the second wave of COVID-19.

He made the remarks during a review meeting held by the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Supreme Court to take stock of actions taken by various states on care, protection and wellbeing of children during this COVID-19 wave.

In the meeting, held in coordination with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), possible measures and actions that need to be taken to ensure that every child in need gets appropriate care and protection during this time, were also deliberated upon.

Bhat said some children have lost either one or both parents to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> and there are many without parental supervision and care when their parents are in hospital or under medical care.

"These children are more vulnerable now than ever before. Concerted efforts should be made by all the key stakeholders to ensure the care and protection of children during the second wave of COVID," he said.

He suggested developing a mechanism to address interim care and needs of orphan, separated, or unaccompanied children, including clear guidance on steps to be taken in the event such a child has been exposed or has symptoms of the virus and requires a period of isolation and treatment.

He further emphasised that caregivers and employees of care institutions - both government-managed and private - should be vaccinated, as frontline professionals and also that the services of these institutions should be declared as essential services.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/children-spread-coronavirus-more-efficiently-than-adults-study-383559">Children spread coronavirus 'more efficiently' than adults: Study</a>

Some key priorities outlined by Justice Bhat were - screening and medical care for the children in the institutional care, provision of emergency medicine, supplies, emergency access to hospitals, and a roster of doctors available for teleconsultation,&nbsp;and on priority&nbsp;vaccination of all staff working in the Child Care Institutions and other frontline Child Protection workers.

Nomination of state and district level nodal officers empowered to take decisions and constitute a task force for rapid emergency response for children during COVID-19 was also highlighted.

On the needs of orphaned children, he reiterated that a coordinated response, in each district, by a committee to ensure temporary foster homes as well as gather and secure all information relating to the deceased parent or parents, for future use should be set up.

Each district CWC should compile all the details of such children, and their needs, it was emphasised.

Justice Bhat also stated that "prevention of and response to the second wave of COVID surge requires close coordination and collaboration between child protection system and health system, a multi-sectoral response ensures that children and caregivers' needs are addressed holistically and it leads to a better outcome for children".

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-indias-covid-surge-why-children-could-be-at-risk-383575/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the review meeting, judges of all high courts and officials of various states and union territories presented the measures which are being undertaken for the care, protection, and well-being of the children during the second wave of COVID.

Some of the measures by the state and union territories were setting up a state-level nodal officers and district task force for rapid response for care and protection children during the current pandemic, sponsorship for the children lost parents or the bread earners lost income or facing economic hardship.

High Court juvenile justice committees represented by judges, as well as state and union territories also highlighted the measures they are taking to stop the spread of COVID-19 in child care institutions and the medical treatment and care of the children who contracted the disease.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/covid-in-india-3rd-wave-may-hit-kids-mumbai-prepares-pediatric-wards-382729">Covid in India: 3rd wave may hit kids, Mumbai prepares pediatric wards</a>

Aastha Khatwani, joint secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development, said, "Considering the emergency need, the ministry has issued the advisory to stop illegal adoption and care and protection of the children who have lost one either or both the parents to COVID."

She further added that the ministry has developed clear, coordinated, easy to understand, community messaging on children's unique risks, vulnerabilities and need of care and protection during COVID-19, and these messages are disseminated and broadcast through social media and other channels.

Vandhana Kandhari, child protection specialist of UNICEF India highlighted that "efforts to pre-emptively scale up the capacity of family-based care and social protection systems are critical to enhance family resilience and prevent unnecessary recourse to residential care".

Kandhari added that in order to provide interim care to the children, extended family members, trusted friends, good neighbours and or community members can be declared a 'fit person'.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/novavax-starts-covid-vaccine-trials-on-children-382694">Novavax starts Covid vaccine trials on children</a>

The review meeting was held with the chairpersons and members of juvenile justice committees of various high courts and was also attended by officials of Departments of Women and Child Development, Social Welfare and Health from various states and union territories.

Apex court judge and chairperson of the Supreme Court Juvenile Justice Committee S Ravindra Bhat Saturday said there was a need to step up measures to ensure better care, protection and well-being of children during the second wave of COVID-19.

Apex court judge and chairperson of the Supreme Court Juvenile Justice Committee S Ravindra Bhat Saturday said there was a need to step up measures to ensure better care, protection and well-being of children during the second wave of COVID-19. He made the remarks during a review meeting held by the Juvenile Justice Committee of the Supreme Court to take stock of actions taken by various states on care, protection and wellbeing of children during this COVID-19 wave. In the meeting, held in coordination with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), possible measures and actions that need to be taken to ensure that every child in need gets appropriate care and protection during this time, were also deliberated upon. Bhat said some children have lost either one or both parents to COVID-19 and there are many without parental supervision and care when their parents are in hospital or under medical care. "These children are more vulnerable now than ever before. Concerted efforts should be made by all the key stakeholders to ensure the care and protection of children during the second wave of COVID," he said. He suggested developing a mechanism to address interim care and needs of orphan, separated, or unaccompanied children, including clear guidance on steps to be taken in the event such a child has been exposed or has symptoms of the virus and requires a period of isolation and treatment. He further emphasised that caregivers and employees of care institutions - both government-managed and private - should be vaccinated, as frontline professionals and also that the services of these institutions should be declared as essential services. Also read | Children spread coronavirus 'more efficiently' than adults: Study Some key priorities outlined by Justice Bhat were - screening and medical care for the children in the institutional care, provision of emergency medicine, supplies, emergency access to hospitals, and a roster of doctors available for teleconsultation, and on priority vaccination of all staff working in the Child Care Institutions and other frontline Child Protection workers. Nomination of state and district level nodal officers empowered to take decisions and constitute a task force for rapid emergency response for children during COVID-19 was also highlighted. On the needs of orphaned children, he reiterated that a coordinated response, in each district, by a committee to ensure temporary foster homes as well as gather and secure all information relating to the deceased parent or parents, for future use should be set up. Each district CWC should compile all the details of such children, and their needs, it was emphasised. Justice Bhat also stated that "prevention of and response to the second wave of COVID surge requires close coordination and collaboration between child protection system and health system, a multi-sectoral response ensures that children and caregivers' needs are addressed holistically and it leads to a better outcome for children". In the review meeting, judges of all high courts and officials of various states and union territories presented the measures which are being undertaken for the care, protection, and well-being of the children during the second wave of COVID. Some of the measures by the state and union territories were setting up a state-level nodal officers and district task force for rapid response for care and protection children during the current pandemic, sponsorship for the children lost parents or the bread earners lost income or facing economic hardship. High Court juvenile justice committees represented by judges, as well as state and union territories also highlighted the measures they are taking to stop the spread of COVID-19 in child care institutions and the medical treatment and care of the children who contracted the disease. Also read | Covid in India: 3rd wave may hit kids, Mumbai prepares pediatric wards Aastha Khatwani, joint secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development, said, "Considering the emergency need, the ministry has issued the advisory to stop illegal adoption and care and protection of the children who have lost one either or both the parents to COVID." She further added that the ministry has developed clear, coordinated, easy to understand, community messaging on children's unique risks, vulnerabilities and need of care and protection during COVID-19, and these messages are disseminated and broadcast through social media and other channels. Vandhana Kandhari, child protection specialist of UNICEF India highlighted that "efforts to pre-emptively scale up the capacity of family-based care and social protection systems are critical to enhance family resilience and prevent unnecessary recourse to residential care". Kandhari added that in order to provide interim care to the children, extended family members, trusted friends, good neighbours and or community members can be declared a 'fit person'. Also read | Novavax starts Covid vaccine trials on children The review meeting was held with the chairpersons and members of juvenile justice committees of various high courts and was also attended by officials of Departments of Women and Child Development, Social Welfare and Health from various states and union territories.

Need to step up measures for well-being, protection of children during COVID-19 second wave: SC judge

According to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), children spread COVID-19 faster&nbsp;than adults. &nbsp;

The study found that children spread coronavirus "more efficiently" than adults because they have a high ‘viral load’. Viral load refers to the amount of virus carried by a person.

The study focused on kids younger than five years who were infected and showed mild to moderate symptoms. Researchers discovered that these kids had 10 to 100 times more virus in their nose and throat than older children and adults.

Going by the study’s results, we need to protect our kids for two reasons; one, because the risk of infection is now high and two because children pose a risk to those around them.

This also means that it is important to vaccinate children as soon as possible. But, can they be given the same shot as an adult? The answer is yes, even children can be given the same shot, but the dosage needs to be adjusted.

Vaccine makers around the world are testing their vaccine shots on kids&nbsp;with companies like Pfizer and Moderna conducting dosing trials, trying to figure out how much vaccine dosage is safe for kids.

The dosage of these vaccines will be adjusted according to the age of a child that is children of different ages will be given a different dosage of the vaccine, according to their body’s tolerance.

According to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), children spread COVID-19 faster than adults. The study found that children spread coronavirus "more efficiently" than adults because they have a high ‘viral load’.

According to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), children spread COVID-19 faster than adults. The study found that children spread coronavirus "more efficiently" than adults because they have a high ‘viral load’. Viral load refers to the amount of virus carried by a person. The study focused on kids younger than five years who were infected and showed mild to moderate symptoms. Researchers discovered that these kids had 10 to 100 times more virus in their nose and throat than older children and adults. Going by the study’s results, we need to protect our kids for two reasons; one, because the risk of infection is now high and two because children pose a risk to those around them. This also means that it is important to vaccinate children as soon as possible. But, can they be given the same shot as an adult? The answer is yes, even children can be given the same shot, but the dosage needs to be adjusted. Vaccine makers around the world are testing their vaccine shots on kids with companies like Pfizer and Moderna conducting dosing trials, trying to figure out how much vaccine dosage is safe for kids. The dosage of these vaccines will be adjusted according to the age of a child that is children of different ages will be given a different dosage of the vaccine, according to their body’s tolerance.

Children spread coronavirus 'more efficiently' than adults: Study

Kings of Lagos: Children learn chess to seek escape from Nigeria's slums

US biotech firm&nbsp;Novavax&nbsp;said on Monday it had started clinical trials of its proposed Covid vaccine on children, in a programme that will involve up to 3,000 adolescents aged 12-17.

Far fewer children have been sick with Covid&nbsp;compared to adults, and most have mild to no symptoms, but they can be infected and spread the virus.

Novavax&nbsp;said the trials would test "the efficacy (and) safety" of the vaccine, with participants receiving either the vaccine candidate or placebo in two doses, 21 days apart.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Pfizer donates 'largest humanitarian relief' worth $70 million to India">Pfizer donates 'largest humanitarian relief' worth $70 million to India</a>

Participants will be monitored for up to two years after their injections.

The&nbsp;Novavax&nbsp;vaccine has not yet been authorised in any country, including for adults, but the company plans to file for emergency authorisation in Britain "in the second quarter of 2021", followed by in the United States.

Novavax&nbsp;announced at the end of January that clinical trials conducted in Britain involving 15,000 adults showed 89.3 per cent efficacy.

The&nbsp;Novavax&nbsp;vaccine, which uses different technology from the doses already widely licensed around the world, is a protein-based vaccine engineered from the genetic sequence of the first strain of the coronavirus.

It can be stored at a temperature between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius (35 - 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

Other vaccine companies including Moderna, Johnson &amp; Johnson and Pfizer are also conducting trials in adolescents.

Europe's medicines watchdog said Monday it had begun evaluating the use of Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, after a similar request in the United States.

Vaccine authorisation for children is seen as a crucial step towards achieving herd immunity.

US biotech firm Novavax said on Monday it had started clinical trials of its proposed Covid vaccine on children, in a programme that will involve up to 3,000 adolescents aged 12-17.

US biotech firm Novavax said on Monday it had started clinical trials of its proposed Covid vaccine on children, in a programme that will involve up to 3,000 adolescents aged 12-17. Far fewer children have been sick with Covid compared to adults, and most have mild to no symptoms, but they can be infected and spread the virus. Novavax said the trials would test "the efficacy (and) safety" of the vaccine, with participants receiving either the vaccine candidate or placebo in two doses, 21 days apart. Also read: Pfizer donates 'largest humanitarian relief' worth $70 million to India Participants will be monitored for up to two years after their injections. The Novavax vaccine has not yet been authorised in any country, including for adults, but the company plans to file for emergency authorisation in Britain "in the second quarter of 2021", followed by in the United States. Novavax announced at the end of January that clinical trials conducted in Britain involving 15,000 adults showed 89.3 per cent efficacy. The Novavax vaccine, which uses different technology from the doses already widely licensed around the world, is a protein-based vaccine engineered from the genetic sequence of the first strain of the coronavirus. It can be stored at a temperature between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius (35 - 46.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Other vaccine companies including Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer are also conducting trials in adolescents. Europe's medicines watchdog said Monday it had begun evaluating the use of Pfizer/BioNTech's vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, after a similar request in the United States. Vaccine authorisation for children is seen as a crucial step towards achieving herd immunity.

Novavax starts Covid vaccine trials on children

German police said on Monday they had shut down 'one of the biggest darknet child pornography platforms in the world' and arrested four of its members in a series of raids in mid-April.

The platform, named as 'Boystown', had existed since 2019, counted over 400,000 members and was "set up for the worldwide exchange of child pornography", federal police said in a statement.&nbsp;

The darknet forum allowed users to communicate with others and share graphic image and video content which included "serious sexual abuse of toddlers", the statement said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="Berlin police condemn violence during May Day protests which injured 93 officers">Berlin police condemn violence during May Day protests which injured 93 officers</a>

Three men between the ages of 40 and 64 were arrested in seven raids in Germany, while a further suspect was detained in Paraguay on the request of German authorities.

The suspect in Paraguay's Concepcion region, also a German citizen, is to be extradited back to Germany on the basis of an international arrest warrant issued by a court in Frankfurt.&nbsp;

Three of the men are accused of having managed the platform as administrators, providing technical support and advice to members on how to avoid being discovered by the authorities, while another was "one of the platform's most active users", police said.

Investigators added that the months-long, German-instigated operation had been coordinated by Europol and supported by law enforcement in the Netherlands, Sweden, the United States and Canada.&nbsp;

German police said on Monday they had shut down 'one of the biggest darknet child pornography platforms in the world' and arrested four of its members in a series of raids in mid-April.

German police said on Monday they had shut down 'one of the biggest darknet child pornography platforms in the world' and arrested four of its members in a series of raids in mid-April. The platform, named as 'Boystown', had existed since 2019, counted over 400,000 members and was "set up for the worldwide exchange of child pornography", federal police said in a statement. The darknet forum allowed users to communicate with others and share graphic image and video content which included "serious sexual abuse of toddlers", the statement said. Also read: Berlin police condemn violence during May Day protests which injured 93 officers Three men between the ages of 40 and 64 were arrested in seven raids in Germany, while a further suspect was detained in Paraguay on the request of German authorities. The suspect in Paraguay's Concepcion region, also a German citizen, is to be extradited back to Germany on the basis of an international arrest warrant issued by a court in Frankfurt. Three of the men are accused of having managed the platform as administrators, providing technical support and advice to members on how to avoid being discovered by the authorities, while another was "one of the platform's most active users", police said. Investigators added that the months-long, German-instigated operation had been coordinated by Europol and supported by law enforcement in the Netherlands, Sweden, the United States and Canada.

German police smash darknet child porn network with 400,000 members

In today’s weird news, four children have been hospitalised in England’s Epsom, Surrey after ingesting what the police suspect to be cannabis laced sweets. Yes, you read that correctly -&nbsp;the children had weed candy!<o:p></o:p>

The case came to light when the Surrey police responded to a call from&nbsp;ambulance services on Saturday at 2:15 local time.

When they arrived at the scene situated around a shopping street near a local park, they discovered three children - a girl and two boys, projectile vomiting, and falling in &amp; out of consciousness after eating some mysterious sweets.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/virginia-governor-signs-bill-to-legalise-marijuana-possession-from-july-1-379274">Virginia governor signs bill to legalise marijuana possession from July 1</a>

All the three victims are&nbsp;12-13 years old. Another boy aged twelve&nbsp;who had also eaten the sweets but displayed none of the symptoms, was also taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. <o:p></o:p>

Detective Sergeant Lee Marks said, "We are, of course, trying to understand what these sweets are, where they came from and what they contain...These types of products, which may be marketed as ‘cannabis infused’ or ‘THC infused’ are illegal, and therefore unregulated, in the UK. They can appear to be commercial products with professional packaging, but this should not be taken as a sign that they are safe or legal".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/giggling-bread-and-dancing-salad-thailand-serves-up-cannabis-cuisine-to-happy-customers-357134">'Giggling bread' and 'dancing salad': Thailand serves up cannabis cuisine to happy customers</a>

<o:p></o:p>

According to a press release by the police, there have previously been similar reports from the area. Earlier the sweet in question was “Jelly apple rings”. The person who had ingested these laced jelly apple rings didn’t have symptoms this bad. <o:p></o:p>

Police are now investigating where the laced sweets came from, who gave these children the sweets and if they were given the sweets at the park.<o:p></o:p>

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In today’s weird news, four children have been hospitalised in England’s Epsom, Surrey after ingesting what the police suspect to be cannabis laced sweets. Yes, you read that correctly - the children had weed candy!

In today’s weird news, four children have been hospitalised in England’s Epsom, Surrey after ingesting what the police suspect to be cannabis laced sweets. Yes, you read that correctly - the children had weed candy! The case came to light when the Surrey police responded to a call from ambulance services on Saturday at 2:15 local time. When they arrived at the scene situated around a shopping street near a local park, they discovered three children - a girl and two boys, projectile vomiting, and falling in & out of consciousness after eating some mysterious sweets. Also read | Virginia governor signs bill to legalise marijuana possession from July 1 All the three victims are 12-13 years old. Another boy aged twelve who had also eaten the sweets but displayed none of the symptoms, was also taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Detective Sergeant Lee Marks said, "We are, of course, trying to understand what these sweets are, where they came from and what they contain...These types of products, which may be marketed as ‘cannabis infused’ or ‘THC infused’ are illegal, and therefore unregulated, in the UK. They can appear to be commercial products with professional packaging, but this should not be taken as a sign that they are safe or legal". Also read | 'Giggling bread' and 'dancing salad': Thailand serves up cannabis cuisine to happy customers According to a press release by the police, there have previously been similar reports from the area. Earlier the sweet in question was “Jelly apple rings”. The person who had ingested these laced jelly apple rings didn’t have symptoms this bad. Police are now investigating where the laced sweets came from, who gave these children the sweets and if they were given the sweets at the park.

England: Children hospitalised after eating cannabis-laced candy

In China, tiny little kids are subjected to ruthless training to become Olympics Champions. WION's Palki Sharma tells you how China's state-sports system is robbing children of their childhood & turning them into factory products.

Gravitas: Inside China's Sports Centres for Children

Mexican children toting replica rifles march alongside armed members of a self-defense force who say they have been left to defend their village against drug traffickers all by themselves.

Mexican villagers take anti-narco fight into own hands

The new COVID-19 wave in India, in which the number of cases is skyrocketing, is hitting children hard. As per the data from the Union Health Ministry of India 79,688 children have been infected in the five worst hit states since March.

Kids at more risk in India's second COVID-19 wave

Thousands of Italian parents, children and teachers protested in squares up and down the country on Sunday against what they call the unnecessary closure of schools to try to curb Covid-19 infections.&nbsp;

The protests, the first of any significance against Mario Draghi's national unity government that took office last month, were held in more than 35 squares nationwide including Rome's Piazza del Popolo and Milan's central Piazza Duomo.&nbsp;

Demonstrators in Rome wore dunce's caps to indicate the impact of the closures on students' education, while in Milan pupils' messages and placards were propped against their school rucksacks placed on the ground.&nbsp;

Numbers at each venue were limited due to coronavirus restrictions on gatherings.&nbsp;

"Open schools, whatever it takes," read one placard held aloft by a child in Rome, in reference to Draghi's famous promise to save the euro when he was European Central Bank chief in 2012.&nbsp;

Most Italian schools for all ages have been closed since March 15, when Draghi ramped up efforts to control the virus, with students attending lessons online from home.&nbsp;

"We are asking for one thing: that our schools be given the status of essential public services and immediately reopened," the Rome arm of the 'Open Schools' national network that organised the demonstrations said in a statement.&nbsp;

Since Italy's outbreak began 13 months ago, schools have closed and re-opened at various times depending on age groups and local infection levels, but overall there has been less face-to-face schooling than in most other European countries.&nbsp;

The latest closures were the last straw for millions of parents forced to work from home or pay for child care.&nbsp;

The government says the closures are needed due to rising infection rates, and particularly, the increasing prevalence of the variant first discovered in the UK, in which contagion is high among younger age groups.&nbsp;

Draghi promised on Friday that schools would be the first thing to reopen when current Covid restrictions are eased.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Thousands of Italian parents, children and teachers protested in squares up and down the country on Sunday against what they call the unnecessary closure of schools to try to curb Covid-19 infections.

Thousands of Italian parents, children and teachers protested in squares up and down the country on Sunday against what they call the unnecessary closure of schools to try to curb Covid-19 infections. The protests, the first of any significance against Mario Draghi's national unity government that took office last month, were held in more than 35 squares nationwide including Rome's Piazza del Popolo and Milan's central Piazza Duomo. Demonstrators in Rome wore dunce's caps to indicate the impact of the closures on students' education, while in Milan pupils' messages and placards were propped against their school rucksacks placed on the ground. Numbers at each venue were limited due to coronavirus restrictions on gatherings. "Open schools, whatever it takes," read one placard held aloft by a child in Rome, in reference to Draghi's famous promise to save the euro when he was European Central Bank chief in 2012. Most Italian schools for all ages have been closed since March 15, when Draghi ramped up efforts to control the virus, with students attending lessons online from home. "We are asking for one thing: that our schools be given the status of essential public services and immediately reopened," the Rome arm of the 'Open Schools' national network that organised the demonstrations said in a statement. Since Italy's outbreak began 13 months ago, schools have closed and re-opened at various times depending on age groups and local infection levels, but overall there has been less face-to-face schooling than in most other European countries. The latest closures were the last straw for millions of parents forced to work from home or pay for child care. The government says the closures are needed due to rising infection rates, and particularly, the increasing prevalence of the variant first discovered in the UK, in which contagion is high among younger age groups. Draghi promised on Friday that schools would be the first thing to reopen when current Covid restrictions are eased. (With inputs from agencies)

Italian parents, children protest against Covid school closures 

Children as young as 11 are being beheaded in Mozambique, UK-based aid group Save the Children&nbsp;said on Tuesday, as part of an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced many more&nbsp;from their homes.&nbsp;

Save the Children&nbsp;said it had spoken to displaced families who described 'horrifying scenes' of murder, including mothers whose young sons were killed. In one case, the woman hid, helpless, with her three other children as her 12-year-old was murdered nearby.&nbsp;

"We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him," the 28-year-old, who Save the Children&nbsp;called Elsa, was quoted as saying.&nbsp;

"We couldn't do anything because we would be killed too."&nbsp;

Another mother, a 29-year-old Save the Children&nbsp;calls Amelia, said her son was just 11 when he was killed by armed men.&nbsp;

Reporters could not immediately reach Mozambique police or government spokespeople for comment.&nbsp;

Mozambique's northernmost province of Cabo Delgado has since 2017 been home to a festering insurgency, linked to Islamic State, that has escalated dramatically in the past year.&nbsp;

While beheadings have always been a hallmark of the attacks, throughout 2020 the insurgents began regularly engaging the military to capture and hold key towns. Brutality also continued, with mass killings including the murder of around 52 people at once in the village of&nbsp;Xitaxi&nbsp;in April.&nbsp;

Altogether almost 2,700 people on all sides have died in the violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location &amp; Event Data Project (ACLED), a consultancy that tracks political violence. Almost 670,000 people have been displaced,&nbsp;'Save the Children'&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

The United States last week declared the Mozambique group a foreign terrorist&nbsp;organisation&nbsp;over its links to Islamic State, saying the group reportedly pledged allegiance to it as early as 2018. Islamic State claimed its first attack in Cabo Delgado in June 2019.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Children as young as 11 are being beheaded in Mozambique, UK-based aid group Save the Children said on Tuesday, as part of an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced many more from their homes.

Children as young as 11 are being beheaded in Mozambique, UK-based aid group Save the Children said on Tuesday, as part of an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced many more from their homes. Save the Children said it had spoken to displaced families who described 'horrifying scenes' of murder, including mothers whose young sons were killed. In one case, the woman hid, helpless, with her three other children as her 12-year-old was murdered nearby. "We tried to escape to the woods, but they took my eldest son and beheaded him," the 28-year-old, who Save the Children called Elsa, was quoted as saying. "We couldn't do anything because we would be killed too." Another mother, a 29-year-old Save the Children calls Amelia, said her son was just 11 when he was killed by armed men. Reporters could not immediately reach Mozambique police or government spokespeople for comment. Mozambique's northernmost province of Cabo Delgado has since 2017 been home to a festering insurgency, linked to Islamic State, that has escalated dramatically in the past year. While beheadings have always been a hallmark of the attacks, throughout 2020 the insurgents began regularly engaging the military to capture and hold key towns. Brutality also continued, with mass killings including the murder of around 52 people at once in the village of Xitaxi in April. Altogether almost 2,700 people on all sides have died in the violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a consultancy that tracks political violence. Almost 670,000 people have been displaced, 'Save the Children' said. The United States last week declared the Mozambique group a foreign terrorist organisation over its links to Islamic State, saying the group reportedly pledged allegiance to it as early as 2018. Islamic State claimed its first attack in Cabo Delgado in June 2019. (With inputs from agencies)

Mozambique militants beheading children as young as 11: Save the Children  

Bahraini security forces have beaten children and threatened them with rape and electric shocks after detaining them in protest-related cases last month, the anniversary of a 2011 pro-democracy uprising, rights groups said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

A government spokesperson did not comment on the specifics of the accusations in response to a detailed query. The spokesperson said in a statement, Bahrain takes the protection of human rights 'extremely seriously' and had a 'zero-tolerance policy' towards mistreatment within the justice system.&nbsp;

A joint statement by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) said that around 13 children aged 11-17 were detained in early to mid-February as authorities tried to dissuade protesters from gathering to mark the 10th anniversary of the uprising.&nbsp;

"Five children, arrested on February 14 and 15, said that police from the station beat, insulted, and threatened them with electric shocks from a car battery," the statement said, quoting the children and their families.&nbsp;

"An officer hit a 13-year-old on his head and threatened to rape him, give him electric shocks, and beat his genitals."&nbsp;

The rights groups' statement said Bahraini police in some cases arrested children for allegedly burning tires or blocking a road on the day of their arrest. It said police also accused children of vandalism, planting a fake bomb and throwing petrol bombs in November 2020.&nbsp;

Four of the children remain in detention, including a 16-year-old with a serious medical condition, HRW and BIRD said.&nbsp;

The Bahrain government spokesperson also said the Gulf Arab country's criminal justice system, when dealing with people under age 18, makes decisions based on considerations of 'each individual child's best interests, as well as their rehabilitation and place in society'.&nbsp;

Bahrain's US-backed, Sunni Muslim monarchy suppressed the uprising, led mostly by members of the Shiite Muslim majority, by force in 2011 and cracked down hard on sporadic unrest and dissent afterwards. It was the only Gulf state to experience one of the 'Arab Spring' uprisings a decade ago.&nbsp;

Mass trials followed and thousands of people were imprisoned and many others fled abroad. Bahrain has since seen sporadic clashes between protesters and security forces, who have been targeted by bomb attacks.&nbsp;

Rights groups including Amnesty International have criticised the kingdom’s lack of an independent judiciary and accused its security forces of committing torture and other forms of ill-treatment with impunity. The government denies the charges.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Bahraini security forces have beaten children and threatened them with rape and electric shocks after detaining them in protest-related cases last month, the anniversary of a 2011 pro-democracy uprising, rights groups said on Wednesday.

Bahraini security forces have beaten children and threatened them with rape and electric shocks after detaining them in protest-related cases last month, the anniversary of a 2011 pro-democracy uprising, rights groups said on Wednesday. A government spokesperson did not comment on the specifics of the accusations in response to a detailed query. The spokesperson said in a statement, Bahrain takes the protection of human rights 'extremely seriously' and had a 'zero-tolerance policy' towards mistreatment within the justice system. A joint statement by Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) said that around 13 children aged 11-17 were detained in early to mid-February as authorities tried to dissuade protesters from gathering to mark the 10th anniversary of the uprising. "Five children, arrested on February 14 and 15, said that police from the station beat, insulted, and threatened them with electric shocks from a car battery," the statement said, quoting the children and their families. "An officer hit a 13-year-old on his head and threatened to rape him, give him electric shocks, and beat his genitals." The rights groups' statement said Bahraini police in some cases arrested children for allegedly burning tires or blocking a road on the day of their arrest. It said police also accused children of vandalism, planting a fake bomb and throwing petrol bombs in November 2020. Four of the children remain in detention, including a 16-year-old with a serious medical condition, HRW and BIRD said. The Bahrain government spokesperson also said the Gulf Arab country's criminal justice system, when dealing with people under age 18, makes decisions based on considerations of 'each individual child's best interests, as well as their rehabilitation and place in society'. Bahrain's US-backed, Sunni Muslim monarchy suppressed the uprising, led mostly by members of the Shiite Muslim majority, by force in 2011 and cracked down hard on sporadic unrest and dissent afterwards. It was the only Gulf state to experience one of the 'Arab Spring' uprisings a decade ago. Mass trials followed and thousands of people were imprisoned and many others fled abroad. Bahrain has since seen sporadic clashes between protesters and security forces, who have been targeted by bomb attacks. Rights groups including Amnesty International have criticised the kingdom’s lack of an independent judiciary and accused its security forces of committing torture and other forms of ill-treatment with impunity. The government denies the charges. (With inputs from agencies)

Cops beat, threaten detained children with rape in Bahrain: Rights groups

Watch Gravitas Plus with Palki Sharma Children are not startups. But in the rush to teach kids coding at an early age, are we treating them like one? Coding won't go away anytime soon, but childhood will. Let's make kids explore before making them excel.

Gravitas Plus: Why should children learn coding?

New strain now wreaking havoc across the world. While children have mostly been safe from the virus all this, while this new mutation is more likely to infect them, according to experts.

WION Fineprint: New COVID-19 strain may infect children more easily

A United Nations report on Tuesday revealed that two thirds of school-age children do not have access to internet at home.

This is peculiar for the pandemic has pushed children to study exclusively at home. The UN estimates that 1.3 billion children aged between 3-17 have no access to internet at their homes.

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The report was jointly prepared by the United Nations Children’s Fun (UNICEF) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Additionally, youths aged between 15-24 also had limited access to internet. 63 per cent of them remain unconnected at home.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/how-china-is-stonewalling-reforms-at-united-nations-security-council-343771" hreflang="en">How China is stonewalling reforms at United Nations Security Council</a>

"That so many children and young people have no internet at home is more than a digital gap, it is a digital canyon," UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore said in a statement.

She added that the lack of internet connectivity halts youngsters from “competing in the modern economy”, and that “it isolates them from the world”.

Fore said that the findings are alarming especially due to the current situation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced millions of students to switch to virtual learning.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/full-scale-humanitarian-crisis-unfolding-in-ethiopia-united-nations-343745" hreflang="en">Full-scale humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ethiopia: United Nations</a>

"Put bluntly: Lack of internet access is costing the next generation their futures”, she said.

Additionally, the report claimed that how this trend had been in motion way before the pandemic and that the coronavirus crisis has further deepened the divide between kids from poor households unable to catch up with others.

A United Nations report on Tuesday revealed that two thirds of school-age children do not have access to internet at home. This is peculiar for the pandemic has pushed children to study exclusively at home.

A United Nations report on Tuesday revealed that two thirds of school-age children do not have access to internet at home. This is peculiar for the pandemic has pushed children to study exclusively at home. The UN estimates that 1.3 billion children aged between 3-17 have no access to internet at their homes. The report was jointly prepared by the United Nations Children’s Fun (UNICEF) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Additionally, youths aged between 15-24 also had limited access to internet. 63 per cent of them remain unconnected at home. Also read: How China is stonewalling reforms at United Nations Security Council "That so many children and young people have no internet at home is more than a digital gap, it is a digital canyon," UNICEF chief Henrietta Fore said in a statement. She added that the lack of internet connectivity halts youngsters from “competing in the modern economy”, and that “it isolates them from the world”. Fore said that the findings are alarming especially due to the current situation triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced millions of students to switch to virtual learning. Also read: Full-scale humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ethiopia: United Nations "Put bluntly: Lack of internet access is costing the next generation their futures”, she said. Additionally, the report claimed that how this trend had been in motion way before the pandemic and that the coronavirus crisis has further deepened the divide between kids from poor households unable to catch up with others.

1.3 billion children across the globe don't have access to internet, finds report

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