Kids at school in lockdown at NO greater risk of Covid than being at home, new study finds
GOING to school during lockdown put teachers and pupils at no greater risk of Covid than staying at home, a study reveals. Researchers tested 12,026 people in 131 English schools last term and found just three positive cases, including one kid. The infected pupil, from London, had no symptoms and caught the virus from a […]
GOING to school during lockdown put teachers and pupils at no greater risk of Covid than staying at home, a study reveals.
Researchers tested 12,026 people in 131 English schools last term and found just three positive cases, including one kid.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
The infected pupil, from London, had no symptoms and caught the virus from a parent who was a healthcare worker.
Further testing of their contacts revealed the infected individuals did not pass on the bug to anyone else in their family or school.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he found the results “hugely encouraging” and hoped they would reassure parents.
Participants were swabbed weekly from June 1 to mid-July as part of a Public Health England surveillance programme.
All identified cases were mild or had no symptoms and the infection rate represents just 0.02 per cent of participants swabbed.
‘EXTREMELY RARE’
Experts say the findings are consistent with previous research showing cases and infections in schools are “extremely rare”.
Separate antibody testing revealed 10.6 per cent of pupils and 12.7 per cent of teachers had recovered from an infection.
The infection rates in the primary and pre-schools varied across the country and reflected levels in the wider community.
Children and staff who frequently attended school were no more likely to have antibodies than those who never attended or went less often.
Dr Shamez Ladhani, from PHE, said: “This is the largest study of its kind in the country and suggests attending preschool and primary school brings no additional risk to either staff or students.
“Although these results are preliminary, they should be very reassuring to parents who may be anxious about their children returning to school.
“As has been found in previous research, infection within educational settings is extremely low, and while it appears that children do contract Covid-19, the overwhelming majority experience mild or no symptoms, and are unlikely to pass it on.”
ASYMPTOMATIC
The similar levels of antibodies among staff and pupils suggests children are as likely to get infected as adults.
But the lower number of confirmed infections in kids nationally suggests they are going undiagnosed because they are asymptomatic.
Mr Williamson said: “I am hugely encouraged by the findings of this report, which support what the UK’s Chief Medical Officers have already made clear – that the risk of catching coronavirus at school is low, meaning that the risk to children being out of school is, in fact, far greater.
MORE ON CORONAVIRUS
“This week has seen thousands of children reunited with classmates and teachers as schools across the country begin to reopen for full-time education for all pupils at the start of the autumn term.
“Parents can be reassured that schools have in place protective measures to reduce the risk of transmission and these findings add to the assurance that the return to school has been based on the best scientific and medical advice.”
Secondary schools and colleges were not included in the study so the findings cannot be extrapolated to senior schools.