Participating in a virtual session on ‘Priorities after Pandemic; What Young India wants?’- Indian Student Parliament, Swaminathan said the reason why people talk about children being susceptible is because vaccination programmes today in most countries are targeting people above the age of 18 and elderly as they are the most vulnerable.

While kids are at lower risk of severe illness or death than older people, more than 5 million children in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began and at least 460 have died, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Cases in children have risen dramatically as the delta variant swept through the country. “I feel a great sense of urgency” in making the vaccine available to children under 12, Dr. Bill Gruber, a Pfizer senior vice president, said.