What scientists know so far about the effects of coronavirus on children | Jonathan Ball

Studies show that young people are at less risk of serious illness - but as invisible carriers they may be key to spreading the virus

• Jonathan Ball is a professor of molecular virology
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At first it was only elderly people. The narrative about coronavirus, fanned by the details of every sad death announced, was that the virus was mainly a concern for those over 70, or people with serious underlying health conditions. These were the groups initially urged to socially distance themselves. But we're beginning to see that coronavirus can make some younger people seriously ill. Crucially, although the majority of younger people and children will develop symptoms little worse than flu, they could be invisible carriers of the virus - and play a key role in its spread.

When you can't easily tell if someone has a cold or coronavirus, infection control is far more difficult