New Delhi (NVI): Reopening schools too early, especially in developing countries, could undermine the gains made so far in containing the spread of the virus, according to a recent study by the UN.
The study predicts that delaying school openings can be a potent force for saving lives, by reducing the risk of children getting infected at school, and in turn, spreading the virus within their households.
According to the latest UNESCO figures, over 100 countries are currently implementing nationwide school closures due to COVID-19, affecting over 60 per cent of the world’s enrolled students.
The topic of reopening primary and secondary schools has been heavily politicised in many countries with parents, teachers, and politicians sometimes at odds over when to reopen.
Notably, in developing countries, adults and the elderly generally have more contact with children than those in advanced economies due to factors such as more crowded living conditions and bigger households.
According UN data, the proportion of elderly people who live with at least one child under 20 is more than 10 per cent in most African countries, compared to less than 1 per cent in European countries and the United States. This raises the risk that children may contract the virus at school and transmit it to parents and grandparents at home.
The overall predictions are applicable to many other low-income countries, which share the feature of large families living under one roof, with frequent contact between the young and their older household members.
Furthermore, a new report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) into an outbreak at a summer camp in Georgia has suggested that children, even asymptomatic cases, may be significant in community transmission of coronavirus.
Policymakers need to carefully consider the science of spread before deciding on whether to reopen schools or wait, even as they work on the ‘how’ of reopening.
However, any policy decisions about delaying school openings must weigh the potential lives saved against the negative impacts of keeping children out of school for a long period.
Major issues of concern in developing countries around keeping schools closed for long periods include losses in learning, missed midday meals, availability of childcare for working parents, and limited resources for online learning.
-CHK
