At school, the syncytial virus, which causes bronchiolitis, can be more worrying than Covid. “School started a few weeks ago and we are seeing what normally happens when we return to class. We have noticed an increase in Covid cases, not associated with serious clinical pictures, more of a banal pathology with upper respiratory tract infection It is a picture that we expected, given that the socialization of children is also increasing. What worries us is the respiratory syncytial virus that causes bronchiolitis. We have not yet had significant numbers, but it is possible that from the month of October, similarly with what happened in the other hemisphere, there will be an increase in cases which will have to be managed very carefully even at hospital level”, Rino Agostiniani, of the Italian Society of Paediatrics (Sip), tells Adnkronos Salute, taking stock of the situation of children and young people after the resumption of the school year.
Advice to families
What advice can be given to families? “For Covid, the hygiene indications that we have learned apply: if you are symptomatic, you stay at home, while for asymptomatic people, common sense and evaluation should apply, but we are also waiting for the indications, if there are any, from the table between the Health ministries and Education – Agostiniani replies – As far as bronchiolitis is concerned, very young children, under two years of age and even more so in the first six months of life, are more at risk. They must be protected more than their siblings. They have been approved in It uses a vaccine that can be administered during pregnancy and a monoclonal antibody for children. We are waiting – he concludes – for them to arrive in Italy too”.
