As millions of children in England and Wales return to class, the Observer’s science editor, Robin McKie, weighs up the potential health impact

• Coronavirus – latest updates
• See all our coronavirus coverage

Millions of children in England and Wales are returning to school this week, following those in Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as in many other parts of the world. The embattled education secretary, Gavin Williamson, acknowledged that some families in England had concerns about sending their children to school for the first time since March, but said those who refused to risked putting a ‘huge dent in their future life chances’.

The Observer’s science editor, Robin McKie, talks to Anushka Asthana about how Covid-19 affects children’s health and assesses the risks of a return to school. He also discusses why the government is so keen to resume classroom education and considers the consequences of children spending further time at home