Covid-19 in Peru: from supervised walks for children to the first case of Kawasaki-like syndrome

jaimeayanez@gmail.com Godlee appraises the UK government’s response to covid-19.1 Peru is among the countries with the most covid-19 cases globally,2 reaching 178 914 cases on 3 June.3 Regardless of this, on 18 May the Peruvian government started allowing supervised walks for people under 14 years old,4 following the Spanish measure implemented on 26 April.5 We have previously expressed our concern for this measure6 because it could lead to a rise in cases in children, who typically exhibit milder symptoms.7 Criticism led to the publication of an epidemiological alert prohibiting supervised walks in most of Peru because of the high risk of contagion.8 By that point, however, thousands of people had already been out with children, as shown in the media. In Spain this measure caused an increase in cases in children under 10 from 0.31% of total cases on 26 April to 0.36% on 13 May and from 0.9% to 1.03% in 11-19 year olds.9 Similarly, in Peru the cases in children under 11 increased from 1.9% of total cases on 12 May10 to 2.6% on 26 May11 and from 1.1% to 1.6% in 12-17 year olds. Systematic review of COVID-19 in children shows milder cases and a better prognosis than adults.