At least 23 children infectedby COVID-19 were undergoing treatment at the dedicated COVID- 19 hospital in Maharashtra's Aurangabad city, a health official said on Wednesday.As many as 23 children between the ages of two to 12 years have tested positive in Aurangabad and were undergoing treatment at the COVID-19 hospital here, said Dr Bharati Nagare, head of the hospital's paediatrics department."While adults understand the dos and don'ts of being in quarantine, it is a challenge to prepare these children for treatment that lasts for at least two weeks," she said.Apart from the treatment protocol, children also find it difficult to relate to doctors and other staff, who often walk around them wearing PPE kits."They are worried and scared when they see us in our protective gear. We try to assuage their fears by telling them that we are their companions for the next few days," the doctor said.While some children are quarantined with family members, few were in the care of hospital staff, she said.Parents who tested negative wished to stay with their infected children, but the hospital did not allow them, she said, adding that they get regular updates about their child's condition over phone.A two-week stay at a COVID-19 facility can be nerve- wreaking for many, but doctors and staff of the paediatric ward try their best to keep the environment positive and hopeful, she said."We try to make the hospital stay for children as exciting as possible, by engaging them in light exercises and interesting activities," Nagare said.The courage with which these children are battling the deadly virus was admirable, she added.
