Perceptions of Covid-19 in school children of 6-12 years in Thiruvallur district-A Cross sectional Study

Abstract

Background: It is important to know current level of knowledge, perception and practices about COVID-19 of children for their safety when left on their own in community. Knowing this would help the policy makers, parent and teachers to decide the appropriate ways and content that needs to be explained to them in order to ensure the appropriate steps are taken by children to protect themselves when not supervised.

Objective: To find level of knowledge (spread, symptom), perception about the disease and its outcome, and practice of safety precautions about COVID-19 by school going children of age 6 years to 16 years using a questionnaire in Quiz format as per score of the quiz.

Method: A survey in the form of Quiz was devised and circulated on school groups and social media. Willing parents were asked to get it filled from their children. Total 786 responses were obtained in months‟ time (15 May-15 June 2020). Collected data was analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results: More than 90 % of the children believed that fever, cough and sore throat was the signs of COVID-19. Children were not aware that loss of smell was the sign of COVID 19. 84% of the children answered than recovery is possible after COVID -19 viral infection and 13% of the children was not sure.

Conclusion: Students were aware about the pandemic which the world is under and the signs of covid virus is also well known by the students. Television and social media played a vital role in transferring information.