Hello 

Good morning and welcome to this week's Sunday newsletter.

Since Autumn 2020 we have been raising awareness amongst parents, caregivers, children & schools to provide up-to-date evidence-based knowledge that supports informed decision-making.

Understanding & acknowledging what is happening enables informed decision-making and reduces risk.

WHATS NEW THIS WEEK

This week's newsletter at a glance.

• New - TES looks at Long Covid in children - What do teachers need to know?
• Global - News from India.
• Scotland - One council updates their child COVID symptom list.
• CO2 Monitors - LCK places the 1st order for schools funded by you.
• Statistics - Children and COVID infection for this week.
• Masks - The DfE scrap masks & within 24 hours seem to change their mind.
• Why - Run Long Covid Kids? 
• Who - Do we work with?

It has been a busy week of interviews to journalists around the globe, filming with TV crews, and supporting families. Nathalie has been hard at work writing letters and raising awareness and a number of exciting meetings took place that will take LCK forward. 

With your support, our joint efforts make a difference.

Are you able to help in some small way?

Warm wishes

Sammie, Fran, Nathalie and Hannah

LCK Team 💚🧡💚

DR ELAINE MAXWELL 

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH RESEARCH

Dr Elaine Maxwell is Clinical Advisor at the NIHR Centre for Engagement and Dissemination. She is also the review author and content advisor for the

second themed review on Long Covid 

We have had many conversations with Dr Maxwell and were delighted to see her continued efforts in awareness of Long Covid in children in TES this week. 

Watch 2 Min TES Video 

Read What Teachers Need To Know in TES

LCK GLOBAL 

INDIA

8th May 2021

New Dehli Television write:

"When the pandemic began...children were relatively less affected than adults. But now virologists have sounded the alarm. What are they basing this on? Does the third wave pose a bigger threat to children since they are not vaccinated? What do we need to do to prepare for this?"

The Hindustan Times

Covid-19 in Mumbai: In second wave, kids more symptomatic

Doctors treating patients in India have marked a distinct trend during their second wave. Children and adolescents are now showing more obvious symptoms such as prolonged fever, abdominal pain and severe diarrhea.

“Children are definitely more symptomatic now than what we saw in the first wave “ said Dr Tanu Singhal, a pediatrician and infections disease specialist at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.

“The available medical literature shows that the ‘double mutation’ found in Maharashtra (now called B1.617) can be one of the reasons behind it,” she said.

CHILDRENS COVID SYMPTOM LIST

We were really encouraged to see that a council in Scotland has an extended COVID symptoms list for children to include more of the symptoms children present with.

Extended symptoms include:

• General weakness
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath
• Diarrhoea
• Headache
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Runny nose
• Dry or productive cough

We hope that the NHS & GOV UK websites will follow the CDC & improve their symptoms lists & guidance.

THE FIRST FUNDRAISED

CO2 MONITORS HAVE BEEN ORDERED!

This week we were excited to be able to place our first order of CO2 monitors thanks to your donations. They will be making there way to schools that registered their interest and know that more needs to be done to keep staff and pupils safe. 

RESEARCH

It has been a busy week for research in Long Covid, with the UKRI/NIHR second round of funding bids due in on Wednesday. We are aware of a growing number of researchers interested in paediatric cohorts, so we wait to find out who is funded and look ahead to more research.

In terms of current research, we have noted some very positive advances, with the pre-print on the immunological profiles in children with Long Covid by Buensenso et al (2021)  showing that there are significant immunologic differences between children that completely recovered from acute infection and those with Long Covid, thus providing the first objective laboratory sign of the existence of Long Covid in children.

Clearly, with a small sample of 29 (12 with LC and 17 without) there needs to be much larger studies to generalise the findings, but this is an important step towards understanding some of the mechanisms and confirming that they apply to children. Having an ongoing collaboration with Dr Danilo Buensenso, Long Covid Kids want to show appreciation for his tireless commitment to this as yet under-researched area.

For more on research this week see Fran's Blog on our website pages

CHILDREN AND COVID INFECTION STATISTICS THIS WEEK

Data for England. Tested children only

Children who are asymptomatic or atypical in their presentation

can still develop Long Covid

LCK IN THE NEWS

WHY RUN LONG COVID KIDS?

WHO WE WORK WITH 

 Long Covid Kids (LCK) is currently supporting projects with;

NIHR Long Covid Committee

NHS - National Health Service Long Covid Task Force

  NIHR - National Institute for Health Research Expert Group

WHO - The World Health Organisation Long Covid Forum

The APPG - Across Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)

ISARIC - International Severe Acute Respiratory & Emerging Infection Consortium

 APPG Fit and Healthy Child

Multiple Clinical Commissioning Groups

International Researchers 

International ZERO COVID Alliance

National Voices

Long Covid advocacy groups around the world including:

Wales, Ireland, Spain, Canada, USA, Poland, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Mexico

A number of leading children’s hospitals around the UK, and infectious disease pediatricians.

Fundraising CO2 monitors for schools with Safe Ed For All

LCK runs on goodwill.

Donations of time, skills, fund all gratefully received.