Categorically asserting that children would face more damage by not attending physical classes from September than they would if they got infected by COVID-19, Chief Medical Officer of England Prof Chris Whitty said that the possibility of children dying from the contagion is very small, while missing classes can have a long-term damage.

A BBC report quoted the officer as saying, "the chances of children dying from Covid-19 are incredibly small" – but missing lessons "damages children in the long run."

He added, "many more [children] were likely to be harmed by not going than harmed by going" to school".

Prof Whitty also said, "There's also very clear evidence from the UK and around the world that children much less commonly get a severe illness and end up having to be hospitalised if they get symptomatic Covid."

It is to be noted that England has ordered that pupils have to return to class full-time in September.