UK government health advisers say missing school is greater risk to kids than COVID

[webfact]

UK government health advisers say missing school is greater risk to kids than COVID

 

FILE PHOTO: A child sits in a classroom at Watlington Primary School during the last day of school, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Watlington , Britain, July 17, 2020. REUTERS/Eddie Keogh/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The chief medical officers of the United Kingdom have said children should return to school after the summer holidays, warning that missing out on their education posed much bigger risks to them than catching COVID-19.

 

The rare joint statement from the top health advisers to the governments of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland represents a boost for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson who has said getting children back to school is a national priority.

 

Confidence in the government's approach to schooling during the coronavirus pandemic took a hit last week when education minister Gavin Williamson was forced into an embarrassing U-turn over examination results.

 

"Very few, if any, children or teenagers will come to long term harm from COVID-19 due solely to attending school," they said. "This has to be set against a certainty of long-term harm to many children and young people from not attending school," the CMOs said in a joint statement published late on Saturday.

 

Evidence showed that a lack of schooling increased inequalities, reduced opportunities and could exacerbate physical and mental health issues, the statement said.

 

By contrast there was clear evidence of a very low rate of severe disease in children, even if they caught COVID-19, and an exceptionally low risk of dying.

 

"The percentage of symptomatic cases requiring hospitalisation is estimated to be 0.1% for children aged 0-9 and 0.3% among those aged 10-19, compared to a hospitalisation rate of over 4% in the UK for the general population," the statement said.

 

Johnson has said reopening schools in September is a social, economic and moral imperative, insisting they would be able to operate safely despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Separately, England's chief medical officer was quoted as saying it would be foolish to count on a coronavirus vaccine being ready for use this year.

 

"I think if we look forward a year, I think the chances are much greater than if we look forward six months and we need to have that sort of timescale in mind," Chris Whitty told Sky News.

 

"So planning for the next winter, it would be foolish to plan on the basis we will have a vaccine."

 

(Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-24

 

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[chrisinth]

Such confliction of information in this article to what is being stated in other publications.

 

But even if the facts are correct, it is not the whole story. It has now been accepted that children from the age of 12(?) can spread the virus the same as adults, if not faster. What happens if the children do get infected (which is sure to happen, just look at the American situation at present) and spread that infection into their home environments?

 

What risk are the teachers and school staff being put under? Not really a feasible option of opening schools with the teachers being ill or under quarantine. Talking of quarantine, what procedure is in place on detecting one infected pupil? How many other people will be affected by quarantine measures, pupils and teachers, through that detection.

 

I'm all for education and the need for it in this world we have created for ourselves. But, IMO, if put against health there should be no reason why education (face to face) shouldn't be put on the back burner until the British government at least agrees with the science.

[mrfill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Evidence showed that a lack of schooling increased inequalities, reduced opportunities and could exacerbate physical and mental health issues, the statement said.

And exactly where did they get this evidence? There has never been a situation where kids have been prevented from going to schools nationwide at the behest of the government in the UK so they have no evidence, just opinions.

 

The forewarning that was issued saying that Boris would have a PR campaign to get kids back to school suggests he needs the power of advertising lies to get his poorly sighted advisor's plan to work. All the 'we follow the science' twaddle has been exposed as 'we find a scientist who agrees with us and rubbish the rest' and their mismanagement continues unabated.

[sawadee1947]

There are 2 explainations for this statement:

1. Only someone who is suffering from brain problems as side effects by corona infections can say such BS. 

2. If the kids will carry the virus to their parents and those will die.... 

How can you dare to risk rising cases and deadly outcome? 

Ditch that Government, dear people from the island.... Bojo is suffering from brain malfunction definetely. Same as his buddy Donald. ????????

[phantomfiddler]

Nice to see that someone over there has some common sense, get ,em back in school ! An incredible media blitz has succeeded in convincing the world that without covid no-one would be dying ! How did they do that ? Was just watching the news and the VERY SAME statement was repeated every couple of minutes at least 20 times and still going when I left. This is NOT normal for news stations to do this. Someone is paying to have this bombardment inflicted on us ????

[Thingamabob]

The broadcast media, and a large part of the print media, have managed to create a world-wide panic over covid-19. It is very sad that people have died, but the number of deaths is small in global terms.