Read on Twitter
1. #LongCovid in children has been a shameful blindspot in the government's pandemic response. Encouraged by certain cheerleaders who believe children are unaffected by #COVID19, the government has not tried to minimise transmission among children. https://twitter.com/PaulPaul49/status/1354507569226780676
2. Schools were kept open without any of the protective measures used in other indoor settings. The government decided to gamble with a generation of kids. Evidence is now emerging that children develop long-term symptoms as a result of infection. https://twitter.com/Dr2NisreenAlwan/status/1352328791662751745?s=20
3. We don't know what causes #LongCovid, how long symptoms might last, or whether there will be long-term consequences. I agree with Dr Bari. We've been cavalier with children's health and made assumptions that weren't grounded in evidence. https://twitter.com/NjbBari3/status/1353415948288421889?s=20
4. @long_recovery is trying to help raise awareness of Long Covid in children and has started a petition asking the government for an information campaign. Parents need to understand the risk and know what to look out for. https://twitter.com/long_recovery/status/1353822807306731522?s=20
5. I wrote to the Children's Commissioner in August last year and asked her to help call for increased safety measures in schools. I was told the Children's Commissioner does not comment on public health policy. Good to see that position has changed. https://twitter.com/annelongfield/status/1354429491624501249?s=20
6. It's a shame the government and its officials have taken so long to learn about things that have been widely discussed in other countries for months and, in the case of much of Asia, years. If we want schools to open and stay open, we must do it safely. https://twitter.com/j_g_allen/status/1346058356465790982?s=20
7. I feel very sorry for families who are now trying to cope with poorly children. People who were told children are largely unaffected by infection, and who trusted those in power and took them at their word. https://twitter.com/march_change/status/1353759141957922830?s=20
8. When schools are opened to all, we must ensure they are made safe for all. The government has to stop mouthing reassuring platitudes and deliver measures that will actually keep children, families, teachers, staff and the wider community safe.
