Coronavirus: Number of reports of Portsmouth children with Covid-19 symptoms soars after schools return

NHS England data shows there was 710 cases of youngsters aged 18 and under logged with possible Covid-19 symptoms in the NHS Portsmouth CCG area in September via NHS 111 – nine times more than in August.

In Portsmouth, the number of adult users logging symptoms also increased significantly between August and September – from 499 to 1,280.

Education boss at Portsmouth City Council Suzy Horton said: ‘I am confident that schools have the systems in place and we have been working with local authority maintained schools and each had their health and safety plan signed off.

‘In Primary schools there is emphasis on the bubbles and across secondary schools there is more emphasis on social distancing and wearing a mask.’

Across England, the number of children being reported with symptoms went from 21,000 in August to 186,000 in September.

Saul Faust, professor of paediatric immunology and infectious diseases at the University of Southampton, said a rise in symptoms and tests was what most experts predicted, especially as children and family members always have respiratory viral symptoms in the autumn and winter time.

He added: ‘Children remain relatively unaffected by Covid – but there is no choice but to test on symptoms as otherwise cases will be missed.

‘Parents are not overanxious – they are asking for tests per national guidance.

‘The problem and solution has not changed since the start of the pandemic – we need a testing system, and track and trace alongside it, that has capacity and is effective.’

Parents should only book a test if their child has a high temperature, a new continuous cough, or a loss of smell or taste, according to the Department of Health and Social Care.

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth City Council leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson is calling for a 2-week circuit breaker after city's Covid-19 cases hit more than 200 in a week

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam said the infection data shows ‘intense transmission’ of infections for 17 to 18-year-olds, but very low rates of increase for those up to the age of 16.

An NHS spokeswoman added: ‘We encourage the public to continue to use NHS 111 as their first port of call for medical help, and stress the importance of following government guidelines on social distancing and hand hygiene to reduce the spread of the virus.’

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