UK govt health advisers suggest missing school riskier than COVID-19 for kids

In a rare joint statement from the Chief Medical Officers and Deputy Chief Medical Officers of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, the advisers suggested that missing school poses a greater risk to children than the coronavirus pandemic itself. The advisers on August 23 said that they have come to the conclusion that students should return to classes after summer holidays even if reopening schools put upward pressure on transmission as there are no risk-free options and the closure is having a great effect on children. The advisers further added that children are less likely to die from COVID-19 illness but evidence shows that a lack of schooling increases inequalities, reduces the life chances of children, and can exacerbate physical and mental health issues. 

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Children at low risk of dying 

"We are confident in the extensive evidence that there is an exceptionally small risk of children of primary or secondary school age dying from COVID-19. The infection fatality rate (proportion of those who are infected who die) for those aged 5 to 14 is estimated at 14 per million, lower than for most seasonal flu infections. The percentage of symptomatic cases requiring hospitalisation is estimated to be 0.1% for children aged 0 to 9 and 0.3% among those aged 10 to 19, compared to a hospitalisation rate of over 4% in the UK for the general population. Most of these children make a rapid recovery," the advisers said in their statement on Sunday. 

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This comes after United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that children must return to schools by September this year, dubbing it as a national priority. Experts have also suggested the same saying that counting on a vaccine to come out before sending students back to schools will be a foolish move as the COVID-19 vaccine may take another year to be developed fully, which is not guaranteed either. 

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(Image Credit: AP)