Read on Twitter
THREAD: As UK #Covid19 pandemic unfolded I worried that babies, children and young people were being left behind.
But not sure we really won public & public-health hearts and minds on this. Am I right? Where next? https://twitter.com/sunilbhop/status/1256126055108300800?s=20
But not sure we really won public & public-health hearts and minds on this. Am I right? Where next? https://twitter.com/sunilbhop/status/1256126055108300800?s=20
2/ Before quick recap & possible lessons learned - it is not heartless or reckless to consider this question. It's normal public health. Please don't @ me with this charge, it's tiresome!
3/ First! Children were not, amazingly, suprisingly, wonderfully, at major risk from #Covid19 comparatively
https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m2290
Submitted 13 May with @jbagaria2 & Raj Bhopal - felt REALLY LATE after 6 weeks of school-closures, but in retrospect
Our conclusion ->
https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m2290
Submitted 13 May with @jbagaria2 & Raj Bhopal - felt REALLY LATE after 6 weeks of school-closures, but in retrospect
Our conclusion ->
4/ Followed up with paper in @RSPH_PUHE Public Health journal https://twitter.com/sunilbhop/status/1267452703711600640?s=20
5/ But what about broader aspects? With @owens_stephen and colleagues in the North East we quickly put out a letter with our concerns about paediatric neglect and abuse going under the radar https://twitter.com/sunilbhop/status/1273862896234135553?s=20
6/ We looked deeply at Emergency Dept decreases to make sure we weren't missing specific groups of children https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.25.20201533v1
7/ The Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health @RCPCHtweets really got 
in May and it was incredibly impressive to see the way paediatricians mobilised and made front page of @thetimes https://twitter.com/RCPCHtweets/status/1273223990186856448?s=20
in May and it was incredibly impressive to see the way paediatricians mobilised and made front page of @thetimes https://twitter.com/RCPCHtweets/status/1273223990186856448?s=20
8/ I spoke on this at LBC radio https://twitter.com/sunilbhop/status/1273954885923454979?s=20
9/ & started comparing sectors that 'unlocked' before childhood restarted. Not a good look https://twitter.com/sunilbhop/status/1273150467384713216?s=20
10/ The children's commissioner for England @annelongfield was so impressive throughout. Her reports all worth reading https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/coronavirus/
But particularly...
But particularly...
11/ "Putting Children First in Future Lockdowns" https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/report/putting-children-first-in-future-lockdowns/
12/ For reference, @IndependentSage on "Safer Schools" from November
https://www.independentsage.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Safe-schools-v4b1.pdf
https://www.independentsage.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Safe-schools-v4b1.pdf
13/ Before that, their ( @IndependentSage) May report "When should a school reopen?" - packed full of possible interventions. How many have happened?
https://www.independentsage.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Independent-Sage-Brief-Report-on-Schools.pdf
https://www.independentsage.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Independent-Sage-Brief-Report-on-Schools.pdf
14/ Question is... as 'close schools' appropriately back on agenda xmas holidays 2020-21, have we done this? Have we 'chosen a different path' as @DJDevakumar & I wrote in September? https://reachwell.org/2020/09/07/sunil-bhopal-and-delan-devakumar-damage-of-the-lockdown-for-children-and-young-people-lets-choose-a-different-path/
15/ First some good:
Childcare Bubble -> introduced ?September
Exercise -> "Exercise and Recreation" (not play)
Playparks open (pubs first last time)
Education largely 'on' Sep-Dec 2020 but major caveat -> repeat isolation periods for many
What else, there are more.
Childcare Bubble -> introduced ?September Exercise -> "Exercise and Recreation" (not play) Playparks open (pubs first last time) Education largely 'on' Sep-Dec 2020 but major caveat -> repeat isolation periods for manyWhat else, there are more.
15b/ OH! Scotland (was this @devisridhar's influence perhaps?) did go ahead and Exclude kids from #ruleofsix - pretty amazing. Few other things spotted here too for Dec 2 rules in England https://twitter.com/sunilbhop/status/1330912052265836545?s=20
16/ & less good...
Still no govt briefing for children as seen Norway and elsewhere
No visible investment in school ventilation / "Covid-security"
No major investment in computers and internet access for those learning at home
Baby/toddler groups slow to return
...
Still no govt briefing for children as seen Norway and elsewhere No visible investment in school ventilation / "Covid-security" No major investment in computers and internet access for those learning at home Baby/toddler groups slow to return...
17/
Major social care deficits (see @article_39)
Major youth justice deficits
Loads more... tell me...
Major social care deficits (see @article_39) Major youth justice deficitsLoads more... tell me...
18/ And now we're back in nightmare situation here in the UK. Pandemic is re-unfolding before our eyes, NHS in trouble, cases, hospitalisations and deaths rising again. We all want to do *everything we can* to make things better. And again, closing schools serious hot-topic.
19/ despite all that has been said and documented on harms of school-closure, for some this is a "no brainer". Why? How? I don't know exactly where risk/benefit balance lies but I do believe that there is one. One that balances short and long term harms to all across society
20/ Why ferocious schools debate & minimal over - e.g - immediate closure of construction industry like #Lockdown1 - might keep 10-15% of adults at home and not mixing in close contact...
(this is not a policy proposal! But a question about balancing)
https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/constructionindustry/articles/constructionstatistics/number192018edition#employment-and-earnings
(this is not a policy proposal! But a question about balancing)
https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/constructionindustry/articles/constructionstatistics/number192018edition#employment-and-earnings
21/ Our wonderful @RCPCHPresident Prof @russellviner writes on the complexity here Dec 30 https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-events/news/professor-viner-comments-discussions-around-schools-covid
22/ The ever thoughtful and impressive @devisridhar rejects simplicity here https://twitter.com/devisridhar/status/1344678848772923392?s=20
23/ What is it about children, or maybe the children's sector, that means we haven't made traction? For me, we need to examine not just for the next few months but for the coming decades. How do we become a society that "puts children first"? END https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m2439/rr
