Scientists warn long Covid in children should be investigated - what are the symptoms?

With pupils across the UK returning to schools, scientists have warned that long Covid symptoms in children may be a cause for concern.

Experts have warned that, though data is not clear-cut, emerging evidence of lasting coronavirus symptoms in children should not be ignored, especially given that there are no vaccine plans in place for younger age groups.

Concerns have emerged out of recently published Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, which suggests that 13 per cent of children under 11 and 15 per cent of children aged 12 to 16 reported at least one symptom five weeks after testing positive for coronavirus.

These symptoms have reportedly ranged from the common post-viral fatigue to headaches, skin lesions and seizures, with slightly more children in older age groups (12 to 16) reporting lasting symptoms in the ONS survey.

The samples were taken from random households, meaning positive cases didn't depend on having had symptoms and being tested.

One of the key question marks, in fact, hangs over whether children with mild or completely asymptomatic cases of the virus may still be suffering from long Covid regardless.