Professor Russell Viner, President of RCPCH said:
Children鈥檚 wards are usually busy in winter. As of now we are not seeing significant pressure from COVID-19 in paediatrics across the UK. As cases in the community rise there will be a small increase in the number of children we see with COVID-19, but the overwhelming majority of children and young people have no symptoms or very mild illness only. The new variant appears to affect all ages and, as yet, we are not seeing any greater severity amongst children and young people.
Dr Ronny Cheung, Consultant Paediatrician, Evelina Children's Hospital, London:
"I've been the on-call consultant in a London children's hospital this week. COVID is rife in hospitals, but not among children - and that is corroborated by my colleagues across London.鈥
Dr Liz Whittaker, Consultant Paediatrician, St Mary鈥檚 Hospital London:
鈥淭here are lots of children with COVID positive tests, but thankfully only small numbers with severe disease or PIMS (the rare inflammatory disease associated with COVID), and these are within expected levels - given the London rates. I continue to worry for my elders, not my kids.鈥
Dr Damian Roland, Consultant Paediatrician, University Hospitals of Leicester:
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important all in child health make absolutely clear we are not seeing a nationwide wave of COVID-19 induced illness in children.鈥
Dr Lee Hudson, Clinical Associate Professor at the GOS UCL Institute of Child health and Consultant Paediatrician, GOSH:
鈥淧aediatric colleagues across London tell me they are not seeing higher rates of sick children because of COVID this time. But as we鈥檝e said to parents throughout please don鈥檛 be afraid to seek medical help if you are worried about your children.鈥