Covid-19 in the UK: policy on children and schools

Key messagesPandemic policy on children and schools reflected UK based scientific narratives that did not align with global scientific consensusGovernment relied on evidence that downplayed the seriousness of covid-19 in children, underestimated the benefits of precautionary measures, and overestimated the harms of vaccinationReturn to school in September 2020 with minimal emphasis on masking and air quality, and inadequate support for isolation may have accelerated community transmissionThe public inquiry should explore why the UK was an international outlier in its approach to protecting children and making schools and communities safe