Coronavirus: Children made up just 1% of COVID-19 cases in England in first peak - study - Sky News

Authors of the study, led by Public Health England (PHE), said it provides further proof of the "limited role of children" in the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There has been no increase in excess deaths in children aged 0-15 years until May 3 2020," the authors said.

In their conclusion, they say their findings add to the "growing body of evidence on the limited role of children in the COVID-19 pandemic".

Lead author Dr Shamez Ladhani, from PHE, said it is "still not clear why young children have such a low risk of infection compared to older children or adults".

"The way the immune system reacts to the virus is also likely to be different in children compared to adults

Dr Ladhani said vigilance was needed as the lockdown continues to be eased and children have more contact with other children and adults

Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, said the study confirms international evidence "that children and young people as a group are little affected by this virus, even showing a slight reduction in total excess deaths"

He added: "With this in mind, the vast majority of parents should feel reassured regarding the safety of their children when schools reopen, though given the likely role of infected children in transmission, parents and teachers with underlying health conditions may need to take precautions in order to minimise their own risk over the coming months."