Secondary school pupils now playing a 'significantly higher' role in infecting households, Sage says

Secondary school pupils are now playing a “significantly higher role” in bringing infections into households, the Government’s scientific advisors have said but they admit they could be catching it from socialising outside of school.

Since September the prevalence of coronavirus among children aged 12 to 16 has increased as has their role in transmitting it to their families, according to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage).

Their analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) “indicates clearly that children can bring infection into the household and transmit to other household members”.

Separate ONS data showed that secondary school students now have the highest rate of infection of any age group in society.

Teachers’ unions on Friday night renewed their calls for a move to teaching on a week-on-week-off, saying there is a “clear and sharp trend in infection rates among secondary school pupils in particular since the start of term”.

Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said:  "The situation is untenable and widespread disruption will continue unless the Government takes steps to get coronavirus under control in schools."

Sage modelling, published on Friday, indicates that “the transmissibility from children aged 2-11 and 12-16 is no different or very similar to that from adults”.

Children are more likely to bring Covid-19 into the household than adults, and for secondary school aged pupils this “increased significantly” after schools opened.

Sage noted that while the increase in infections among children “coincided” with schools reopening,  it is “unproven” and “difficult to establish” whether transmissions are occurring inside schools or not.

“There is no direct evidence that transmission within schools plays a significant contributory role in driving increased rates of infection among children,” Sage papers said.

The papers also summarised the educational, psychological, mental and physical damage that has been done to children as a result of school closures during the first national lockdown.

They said it is “not clear” that remote learning makes up for the social isolation that children feel at home, adding that international studies show that prolonged period of remote learning “is likely to result in poorer educational outcomes” for pupils.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “The Government made it a national priority to open all nurseries, schools, colleges and universities to all pupils and students because of the clear benefits to children’s and young people’s education and wellbeing.

“Children are at very low risk from the virus, and staff are not at higher risk than those working in other sectors. We have strengthened the already rigorous measures schools are following to reduce transmission of the virus, including requiring face coverings in all secondary schools in communal areas outside classrooms.”