A six-month old who was touched inappropriately by her father while they were stuck at home during the Covid-19 lockdown. A 14-year-old who might not be able to go back to school as his father, the family's only earning member, has died from the disease. Five siblings surviving on just one meal a day after their parents lost jobs. A 14-year-old pushed into labour. This is the toll Covid-19 is exacting on children, say staff from child welfare non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
While they may be less susceptible to the virus itself, children in South Asia are profoundly affected by the fallout, including the economic and social consequences of measures such as lockdowns to counter the spread of the virus, the United Nations Children's Fund had said in June 2020. A year later, the second wave of Covid-19 in India has meant that its 424 million children (aged 0 to 17 years) continue to be vulnerable.