‘Virtually any child’ would get coronavirus between 12 and 15 without vaccination – Whitty
Virtually any child between the ages of 12 and 15 would get COVID-19 at some point without vaccination, England’s chief medical officer has said.
Professor Chris Whitty said that the highest rate of coronavirus transmission is currently occurring in children of this age group.
Approximately half of all children have already had coronavirus during the pandemic, he added.
Speaking to a committee of MPs, he said that “there is definitely substantial transmission happening in this age group… as far as we can tell”.
“Virtually any child, unvaccinated, is likely to get an infection at some point between 12 and 15,” he said.
And on vaccinating young people, Mr Whitty said that “we are very clear this is not a silver bullet” but that it “will significantly reduce… the amount of disruption” to education.
He added: “You are not comparing a child being vaccinated against nothing happening. You are comparing a child being vaccinated against a near certainty that child will get COVID.
“Under that environment, our estimate is that probably you would have fewer days lost as a result of being vaccinated.”
Although the vaccination programme may cause some disruption to schools, it will be outweighed by the disruption if children caught COVID-19, he said.
“The great majority of children who have not currently had COVID are going to get it at some point,” he added.
“It won’t be necessary in the next two or three months but they will get it sooner or later because this is incredibly infectious… vaccination will reduce that risk.”
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Also speaking about giving one dose of the Pfizer vaccine to school children, deputy chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said the side effects of that first dose are lower than those from a second dose.
He went on to say it is “extremely inconvenient to be laid low” by COVID-19, albeit for a small number of days.
Children aged between 12 and 15 have begun receiving a single dose of a coronavirus vaccine, following a recommendation from the UK’s chief medical officers.
The CMOs previously said they believe one jab will have a “marked effect” on classroom absences and community transmission.
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Up to three million 12 to 15 year olds are now eligible for covid vaccines, with many getting their first at school.
Professor Whitty told MPs this decision had not been made for political reasons, or in the interests of more vulnerable adults but purely for the benefit of those aged between 12 and 15.
In cases where the child and their parents disagree over the vaccine – a situation which Professor Whitty said would be “incredibly rare” – the person administering the jab will assess if the child is deemed competent enough to make their own decision.
The President of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Dr Camilla Kingdon, told MPs: “If the child is Gillick competent, they decide whether they do or they don’t have it.”
“Gillick competency” are guidelines used to assess whether a child has the maturity to make their own decisions and understand the implications of those decisions.
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Children at Belfairs Academy were among the first to get their vaccine as the rollout expanded to those aged 12 to 15.
Dr Kingdon also told politicians that twice-weekly lateral flow testing of asymptomatic children should be stopped.
She said: “It’s our view that because children are so unlikely to be seriously affected by the viral infection that anything we can do to give back their normal lives – let’s face it having a swab shoved up your nose twice a week is not part of a normal life for a child. I know a lot of children who frankly loathe the experience.”
She said she wanted to move towards a place where COVID is treated like other viral infections, with unwell children encouraged to stay at home regardless of the cause.
UK
Starmer urges anyone with information on Epstein case to come forward – after Andrew misses Congress deadline
Sir Keir Starmer has urged anyone with information on the Jeffrey Epstein case to come forward after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor missed the deadline to appear in front of US Congress.
US legislators have criticised Andrew for what they describe as “silence” amid their probe into Epstein after he failed to respond to their request for an interview.
When asked about Andrew missing the deadline and whether the former prince should help the case in any way he can, Sir Keir said on his way to the G20 summit in South Africa: “I don’t comment on this particular case.”
He added that “a general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it”.
Andrew is not legally obliged to talk to Congress and has always vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters
It comes as Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of US President Donald Trump, said on Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.
Ms Greene’s resignation followed a public falling-out with Mr Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticised him for his stance on files related to Epstein, as well as on foreign policy and healthcare.
Members of the House Oversight Committee had requested a “transcribed interview” with Andrew in connection with his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein, the paedophile financier who took his own life in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.
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Releasing the Epstein files: How we got here
But after saying they had not heard back, Democrats Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam accused Andrew of hiding.
Their statement read: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s silence in the face of the Oversight Democrat’s demand for testimony speaks volumes.
“The documents we’ve reviewed, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s testimony, raise serious questions he must answer, yet he continues to hide.
“Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party. We will get justice for the survivors.”
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The new Epstein files: The key takeaways
It follows Andrew being stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles earlier this month.
He had previously agreed to stop using his titles, but had expected to remain a prince and retain his dukedom, ahead of the publication of the memoirs of the late Ms Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager – an accusation he denies.
A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Swindon.
Police said the teenager was detained following an incident in Baydon Close, Moredon, in the Wiltshire town on Friday evening.
Officers responded to reports of disorder inside a house. When they arrived, a woman in her 50s living at the address was found to be not breathing. She was declared dead at the scene.
There were no other reported injuries.
Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence
Detective Inspector Darren Ambrose, from Wiltshire Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “This is a serious incident in which a woman has sadly died.
“We have set up a cordon at the address while an investigation is carried out.
“I can confirm that we have arrested a teenage girl in connection with this incident and we are not looking for anyone else.”
Police have asked people not to speculate about the incident online as this could prejudice the case.
A police statement read: “Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while we continue carrying out our enquiries into the woman’s death.
“The suspect remains in custody at this time.”
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Police said anyone with concerns should speak with their local neighbourhood policing team, either by emailing or approaching officers in person.
Rail fares are to be frozen for the first time in 30 years, the government has announced.
Ministers promised that millions of rail travellers will save hundreds of pounds on regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns between major cities.
The fare freeze applies to England and services run by English train operators.
People commuting to work three days a week using flexi-season tickets will save £315 a year travelling from Milton Keynes to London, £173 travelling from Woking to London and £57 from Bradford to Leeds, the government said.
The changes are part of Labour’s plans to rebuild a publicly owned Great British Railways. Other planned changes include tap in-tap out and digital ticketing, as well as investing in superfast Wi-Fi.
The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government was introducing a freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years, which “will ease the pressure on household finances and make travelling to work, school or to visit friends and family that bit easier”.
“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so we’re freezing fares to help millions of passengers save money,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.
“Commuters on more expensive routes will save more than £300 per year, meaning they keep more of their hard-earned cash.”
Rail unions and passenger groups welcomed the move, praising how it will make travel more affordable for passengers and promote more sustainable travel alternatives.
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Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “More affordable fares will encourage greater use of public transport, supporting jobs, giving a shot in the arm to local economies and helping to improve the environment.”
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the rail fare freeze “will be a huge relief to working people”.
“This is the right decision, at the right time, to help passengers be able to afford to make that journey they need to take, and to help grow our railway in this country, because the railway is Britain’s green alternative – taking cars and lorries off our congested roads and moving people and goods safely around our country in an environmentally-friendly way,” Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, said.
The Tories welcomed the move but said the government was “late to the platform”.
Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said: “In government, the Conservatives kept fares on the right track with below-inflation rises and consistently called for no further hikes to protect hard-working commuters.”
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