The government’s stay-at-home message on coronavirus is putting sick children at risk, according to disturbing evidence gathered by the UK’s child health professional body.

Regular child infections and illnesses are now in danger of becoming life-threatening, specialist doctors have warned, as parents confused by the government’s messaging are in many cases too afraid to come to hospital.

The president of Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), Russell Viner, has privately contacted the Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty, urging an immediate change in the government’s public information strategy.