Reaction: doctors say school closures risk ‘scarring life chances’ of a generation

Paediatricians fear that children will suffer the effects of lockdown for years to come

A school reopens with social distancing measures to protect against coronavirus
Paediatricians fear that children will suffer the effects of lockdown for years to come
(Image credit: John Thys/Getty)

More than 1,500 paediatricians have signed an open letter to Boris Johnson urging him to reopen schools or risk “scarring the life chances of a generation of young people”.

While Covid-19 does not directly threaten most young people, the “health and social impact will be severe”, according to the letter from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH).

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