MY FRIEND’S seven-year-old daughter is poorly again – swollen glands, off her food, noticeably pale, generally under the weather.

Off school again, she is lying curled up on the sofa dipping in and out of children’s TV. She has tackled her home school tasks but her concentration wanders.

Her parents and teachers are concerned. Her attendance this school year has been less than 60 per cent – a real disruption to learning.

Many of her friends have been in and out of school, as have her teachers. She misses company but is not too concerned: this is her new normal.

Benign, causing mild but frequent infections, this ‘Trojan Horse’ version of the virus is infiltrating the health of our youngest schoolchildren by stealth. It has been nothing too dramatic but has attacked overall health and wellbeing.

East Lothian Courier: Mary ContiniMary Contini

Their mental health, social skills and overall endurance levels are all eroded. In January, Government figures showed that one in 20 pupils was off school for coronavirus-related reasons.

Across Europe, the cohort of 5–11-year-old youngsters are now being vaccinated against the virus.

The dose, two 10 microgram doses of the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, is approved in the UK. It is the most effective protection against serious disease for anyone who is infected.

In the UK, only youngsters in this age group in a clinically at- risk group or who are immunosuppressed are selected for vaccination. ‘Further advice’ will be issued when more information is collated.

READ MORE: Mary Contini column: The hazards of our pavements

There have been ethical concerns of vaccinating the child population to prevent disease in the adult population, and because children are not severely affected by the symptoms; but surely repeated mild illness, and periods of isolation, stuttering education and interruptions to friendship forming are now causing more harm that is not quantifiable and therefore not reported?

A conversation about our youngest children’s protection is long overdue. There are only so many cartoons a child, at her prime learning time in life, should be left on the couch to watch.