Cafodd y penderfyniad i dynnu plant a phobl ifanc oddi ar y rhestr gwarchod cleifion ei wneud o ganlyniad i astudiaethau a gomisiynwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU o effaith haint COVID-19 ar blant a phobl ifanc. Daeth yr astudiaethau hyn i’r casgliad bod y perygl i blant a phobl ifanc, gan gynnwys y rheini yr ystyriwyd yn wreiddiol eu bod yn eithriadol o agored i niwed yn glinigol gan y clefyd, o gael salwch difrifol neu farw pe baent yn cael eu heintio gan y feirws yn isel iawn. Cafodd yr wybodaeth hon ei thrafod wedi hynny gan banel o arbenigwyr meddygol yn y DU a argymhellodd na ddylid ystyried mwyach fod plant a phobl ifanc yn eithriadol o agored i niwed o COVID-19 ac y dylid eu tynnu felly oddi ar y rhestr gwarchod cleifion. Cytunwyd ar yr argymhelliad hwn gan holl Brif Swyddogion Meddygol y DU.
The decision to remove children and young people from the shielding patient list has come as a result of studies commissioned by the UK Government into the effects of Covid-19 infection on children and young people. These studies found that children and young people, including those originally considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable to the disease, are at very low risk of becoming seriously unwell or dying from infection with the virus. This information was subsequently discussed at a UK expert medical panel who recommended that all children and young people should no longer be considered clinically extremely vulnerable to Covid-19 and therefore be removed from the shielding patient list. This recommendation was agreed by the Chief Medical Officers of the UK.