Advice for children when they get back into the classroom

THE medical chiefs say not going to school widens social inequalities and can worsen physical and mental health issues, while the risk of schoolchildren dying from Covid-19 is “exceptionally small”.

They write: “We are confident that multiple sources of evidence show that a lack of schooling increases inequalities, reduces the life chances of children and can exacerbate physical and mental health issues.

“School improves health, learning, socialisation and opportunities throughout the life course including employment.

“It has not been possible to reduce societal inequalities through the provision of home-based education alone. School attendance is very important for children and young people.”

The letter advises: “Our overall consensus is that compared to adults, children may have a lower risk of catching Covid-19 (lowest in younger children), definitely have a much lower rate of hospitalisation and severe disease, and an exceptionally ly low risk of dying from om Covid-19.

“Very few, if any, children or teenagers will come to long-term harm from Covid-19 due solely to attending school. This has to be set against a certainty of long-term harm to many children and young people from not attending school. “The infection fatality rate for those aged 5-14 is estimated at 14 per million, lower t than for most seas seasonal ‘flu inf infections.”

The letter co continues: ““Covid-19 deaths in children and te teenagers are for fortunately extre extremely rare and almost all deaths are in children childre with significant pre-existing health conditions.

“The percentage of symptomatic cases requiring hospitalisation is estimated to be 0.1 per cent for children aged 0-9 and 0.3 per cent among those aged

10-19, compared to a hospitalisation rate of over 4 per cent in the UK for the general population.

“Most of these children make a rapid recovery.”

It adds: “The great majority of children and teenagers who catch Covid-19 have mild symptoms, or no symptoms at all.”

The letter also states that hand and surface hygiene and social distancing will remain a key safety measure in schools.

“Most of the youngsters who were asked to shield as a precaution are safe to return to school.

“Those at most risk will get individual advice.”