"COVID-19 Fatality Rate in Children Aged 5-14 Lower Than Lightning Strike Probability"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] A British study has found that the probability of children aged 5 to 14 dying from the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) is lower than the probability of a person being struck by lightning.

According to The Telegraph on the 9th (local time), a research team from the University of Cambridge analyzed data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and found that the COVID-19 fatality rate among children aged 5 to 14 in England and Wales was about 1 in 3.5 million. The Telegraph explained that this is lower than the probability of a British person being struck by lightning in a year. Considering that 30 to 60 people are struck by lightning annually in the UK, the probability of being struck by lightning is about 1 in 1.1 million to 2.21 million.

Based on this, the researchers argued that it is time to consider reopening schools for children. Professor David Spiegelhalter, a statistics expert at the University of Cambridge, said, "The risk of COVID-19 for children aged 5 to 14 is very low," adding, "If vaccines do not become available in the coming years, we may need to think about protecting vulnerable groups while allowing young people to resume their daily lives."

In the UK, controversy has arisen recently after the government set a policy to reopen schools for all elementary students before the summer vacation but abandoned it due to backlash from parents. The UK, which began a full school closure on March 20, reopened kindergartens and elementary school grades 1 and 6 starting from the 1st of this month. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced on the same day that this plan was scrapped and that efforts would be made to reopen schools for all students with the start of the new academic year in September.

Former UK Education Secretary David Blunkett criticized, "Other countries in Europe and around the world are sending children to school in various ways, so why can't we?" and pointed out, "The government is failing to make proper judgments." Anne Longfield, England’s Children’s Commissioner, criticized that the reopening of schools is later than other facilities such as amusement parks, saying, "Children are at risk of being forgotten during the easing of lockdown measures."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.