Schoolchildren can transmit the virus.

[2greys]

"The Times' splash reports that secondary school pupils can transmit coronavirus as easily as adults, according to a study by Public Health England (PHE). The scientists, who studied thousands of pupils, believe that tougher rules may be needed for older children - who according to one of the paper's sources - are said to be the "most likely to get infected, have silent infection, transmit infection and get sicker".

This is reported in the Times (behind a paywall), no doubt if there is any substance to it other sources will pick it up, PHE are supposed to be publishing the study soon.

bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-pa...

[2greys]

It is possible to view the image ( bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-pa... ) using Firefox and zoom in at 300% to actually read the front page. Secondary schoolchildren are the real problem. It looks like the Gov have cherry picked the primary schoolchildren's results, which do show a lower risk of transmission, to use in their case to open up the schools.

I await the forthcoming report with great interest. Opening up the schools fully is not going to be anywhere as easy as they think and will dent an already battered public confidence. It really is time to stop using "smoke and mirrors" to further their agenda.

[Cateran in reply to 2greys]

Indeed 2G, " smoke and mirrors". But our lady of Shallot in Downing St should recall Tennyson's lyric "The mirror crack'd from side to side,/The "curse is come upon me"

[2greys]

A health minister has sought to downplay an official study after its preliminary findings contradicted blanket assurances from the government that it was safe for all children to return to school next month.

Edward Argar suggested the Public Health England (PHE) research would not be published until long after pupils go back to class, after initial results suggested that secondary school pupils transmit the virus like adults.

Scientists at PHE believe that tougher rules will probably be needed for older children, despite finding that primary pupils do not appear to pass the virus to each other.

thetimes.co.uk/edition/news...

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So they are going to bury the study results, because it does not suit the Gov's agenda, sparking off the second wave at the cost of more misery and deaths. What vain and narcissistic behavior, to not having to admit to being wrong.

[Oldasthmaticfart]

Is the opening of schools the equivalent of a big chicken pox party for covid? If children normally have fewer symptoms then most could develop natural immunity. This would make a great cost saving on vaccine for the gov.

[2greys in reply to Oldasthmaticfart]

The very real danger is they take it back home or very much worse their grandparents, they can also infect siblings that can then take it to different schools. Whilst they may only get mild symptoms themselves passing it to the older population can result in death.

In a boarding school environment, the whole establishment could be put into quarantine and allow the virus to run it's course. As long as there are no over 50's it may be a relatively safe practice. Not many boarding schools about though, even less without staff over 50.

[Superzob]

Yes, it seems that puberty has come as a shock to our politicians, possibly because they haven't reached it yet! It is hardly surprising that when children reach puberty (which mostly occurs during secondary school), their immune systems are likely to behave more like those of adults, because they technically *are* adults at that point. A bit of back-peddling by the Govt now might be preferable to back-peddling when the risk is realised.

[Becky130777]

I have 2 children one at primary school and one at secondary school so all this information is pretty stressful. in addition I am off sick currently having had a lobectomy in July and on the one hand I have been advised to work from home initially and shield whilst I am recovering but still ok to send my children back to school!! The advise is so vague and does not take into account individual situations.