The Delta variant of Covid-19 does not specifically target children, contrary to what certain hypotheses suggest, the World Health Organization said on Friday, reporting an increased infection rate “in all age groups ”.
“I will be very clear: we are not seeing that the Delta variant specifically targets children,” said US expert Maria Van Kerkhove, director of the Covid-19 technical team during a press conference. . There have been claims “that the variants specifically target children but, in fact, that is not the case.” What we are seeing is that the variants target those who are socially mixed ”.
Studies continue
The Delta variant, much more contagious than previous versions of the coronavirus, has now been detected in 132 countries. According to the data collected in Great Britain, when the Alpha variant emerged, and those collected at the time of the diffusion of the Delta variant, there is an increased rate of infection “in all age groups”, a she said.
WHO stressed that work is underway to gain a better understanding of the dynamics of the Delta variant and to understand why it is so contagious.
No “Covid-21” (for now)
“We find that the variants that circulate contaminate people if they do not take the proper precautions,” continued the WHO expert, citing physical distancing and avoiding gatherings in poorly ventilated enclosed spaces and overcrowded. “There are a lot of measures at our disposal that can keep us, our loved ones and our children safe,” she said.
Furthermore, the WHO does not plan to rename the Delta variant with a new name such as Covid-21, “because the disease is the same”.