Today we bring you the shocking news about the effect of long Covid on our youngsters.
Scientists warn that the true scale of the problem could mean 2,000 children are developing the condition every day.
Those who suffered the virus are now in wheelchairs, or suffering seizures or heart problems. It’s terrifying.
For a long time it feels like there has been a lot of science around. We have all become experts in transmission rates, epidemiology and emerging variants. It can be confusing.
But sometimes the numbers just cut through. They are so stark they bring the problem into the sharpest of focus.
There will be one infected child, on average, in every one or two classrooms. That’s tens of thousands a week. Some of those kids will shrug it off, like kids do.
Others won’t be so lucky. And it’s important they get the best care possible.
The debate around vaccinating children and whether they should be back at school rages on. There are disturbing reports from the US about the effect of the new variant on children.
All this needs to be tackled, urgently settled.
In the meantime, we should make sure youngsters suffering long Covid have the care they need. We need to make sure their health and education are protected.
This is a tough time for any government. But when it comes to protecting our little ones, there can be no mistakes and no excuses.
We’ve already seen 1.1 million adults suffering the hell of long Covid. Let’s not allow the same to happen to our kids.
