Dr. Mehmet Oz is clarifying a previous comment in which he seemingly suggested the reopening of schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic since it does not have a great impact on the total mortality rate.

The surgeon backtracked on the suggestion after he received backlash from viewers. Taking to Instagram, he released a video in which he admitted that he "misspoke" and realised that his comments may have baffled people.

"I've realized my comments on risks around opening schools have confused and upset people, which was never my intention. I misspoke," he captioned the video.

"As a heart surgeon, I have spent my career fighting to save lives in the operating room by minimizing risks. At the same time, I'm being asked constantly: how will we be able to get people back to their normal lives?," Dr. Oz continued adding, "To do that, one of the important steps will be figuring out, how do we get our children safely back in school? We know for many kids, school is a place of security, nutrition, and learning that is missing right now."

"These are all issues we are wrestling with and I will continue looking for solutions to beat this virus," the TV personality concluded his video.

Dr. Oz seemingly suggested that kids can go back to school amid the COVID-19 pandemic during a guest appearance on Sean Hannity's show, "Hannity" on Fox News earlier on Thursday. He considered it a "very appetising opportunity" to bring things back to normal.

In his defense, the 59-year-old book author referred to an article in The Lancet published on April 8. The article cited a study on the closure of schools in the U.K. which reportedly "alone will reduce COVID-19 deaths by only 2–4 percent."

"Any life is a life lost, but to get every child back into a school where they're safely being educated, being fed and making the most out of their lives with the theoretical risk on the backside might be a trade-off some folks would consider," he said.

Dr. Oz's statement sparked outrage with people accusing the surgeon of undervaluing people's lives. Viewers interpreted his comment to suggest that students should risk their lives amid the COVID-19 pandemic just to get back to school.

Television show host Dr. Oz poses at a television event in Culver City, California
Television show host Dr. Oz poses at the "Stand Up To Cancer" television event in Culver City, California Reuters
COVID-19