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NEW DELHI: Evidence suggests that young children are less likely to contract Covid-19 and given experiences of reopening ‘safe’ schools in various countries before a vaccine is developed, education systems do not need to ” wait for widespread immunization before returning to offline school, according to the World Bank.
In a new policy brief, the World Bank’s Education team noted that experiences from countries around the world where schools have reopened suggest that with adequate mitigation strategies, schools are at low risk of disease transmission. among students, staff and communities.
The team also noted that a year after the start of the pandemic, we know a lot more about the virus and the disease and how to mitigate transmission and health authorities like the WHO are not recommending the closure of schools as a “last resort”.
“The available evidence suggests that young children are less likely to contract Covid-19, less likely to become seriously ill or die, and less likely to pass the disease on to others. Transmission within schools has been low, especially for preschools and primary schools, and school staff are more likely to contract the virus from other staff, not students, ”the World Bank said.
“Given the experiences of safely reopening in countries before a vaccine is developed, often in the midst of high community transmission, education systems do not need to wait for widespread immunization of school staff. or other adults in the community before reopening, although they prioritize school staff for immunization. can allay fears of returning to schools for in-person instruction, ”he added.
The memo says keeping schools closed eliminates the risk of disease transmission at school, but also puts children’s learning, psychosocial health and overall development at risk.
“Decisions to reopen schools should reflect evidence-based estimates of the risks associated with reopening schools and the risks associated with keeping schools closed. Experiences from countries around the world where schools have reopened suggest that with With adequate mitigation strategies, schools pose a low risk of disease transmission among students, staff and communities, ”he said.
According to World Bank statistics, 80 percent of schools around the world are in regular session. Of these, 54% are back to teaching in person, 34% rely on blended or hybrid education while 10% continue distance education and 2% offer no education.
“Schools have remained closed where governments, communities, teachers or parents fear that reopening schools poses too high a risk of disease transmission. In each context, it is important to quantify the risks associated with reopening schools, as well as the risks of keeping schools closed, so that reopening decisions can be based on evidence-informed risk assessments.
“In particular, we need evidence for students and school staff on their susceptibility to contracting Covid-19 and the ease of transmission of the disease to others, and whether reopening schools is contributing to the spread of Covid- 19 within communities. Finally, we need to quantify the losses associated with school closures. A year and a half after the start of the pandemic, such evidence is increasingly available, suggesting that the costs of school closures far outweigh the risks associated with opening schools with adequate mitigation strategies. in place, ”he said.
Last year, the Covid-19 pandemic led to the global closure of schools in more than 188 countries, leaving 1.6 billion children – 75% of enrolled students – out of school.
“As the Covid-19 pandemic spread in and between countries in early 2020, we knew very little about the virus: how it spread, who would be affected the most, and how to treat it. To protect children and slow the transmission of the disease, most governments have responded by closing schools.
“A year later, we know a lot more about the virus and the disease and how to mitigate transmission and health authorities like the WHO are only recommending that schools be closed as a last resort,” he said. -he declares.
Citing evidence for low transmission of Covid-19 in children, the World Bank said data from population surveillance studies and contact tracing studies suggest that, compared to adults and adolescents, young people children, especially those under the age of ten, are considerably less likely to contract Covid-19 and much less likely to transmit the disease.
“Among children who contract Covid-19, serious illnesses and deaths are rare and most often occur in children with other underlying illnesses,” he said.
In a new policy brief, the World Bank’s Education team noted that experiences from countries around the world where schools have reopened suggest that with adequate mitigation strategies, schools are at low risk of disease transmission. among students, staff and communities.
The team also noted that a year after the start of the pandemic, we know a lot more about the virus and the disease and how to mitigate transmission and health authorities like the WHO are not recommending the closure of schools as a “last resort”.
“The available evidence suggests that young children are less likely to contract Covid-19, less likely to become seriously ill or die, and less likely to pass the disease on to others. Transmission within schools has been low, especially for preschools and primary schools, and school staff are more likely to contract the virus from other staff, not students, ”the World Bank said.
“Given the experiences of safely reopening in countries before a vaccine is developed, often in the midst of high community transmission, education systems do not need to wait for widespread immunization of school staff. or other adults in the community before reopening, although they prioritize school staff for immunization. can allay fears of returning to schools for in-person instruction, ”he added.
The memo says keeping schools closed eliminates the risk of disease transmission at school, but also puts children’s learning, psychosocial health and overall development at risk.
“Decisions to reopen schools should reflect evidence-based estimates of the risks associated with reopening schools and the risks associated with keeping schools closed. Experiences from countries around the world where schools have reopened suggest that with With adequate mitigation strategies, schools pose a low risk of disease transmission among students, staff and communities, ”he said.
According to World Bank statistics, 80 percent of schools around the world are in regular session. Of these, 54% are back to teaching in person, 34% rely on blended or hybrid education while 10% continue distance education and 2% offer no education.
“Schools have remained closed where governments, communities, teachers or parents fear that reopening schools poses too high a risk of disease transmission. In each context, it is important to quantify the risks associated with reopening schools, as well as the risks of keeping schools closed, so that reopening decisions can be based on evidence-informed risk assessments.
“In particular, we need evidence for students and school staff on their susceptibility to contracting Covid-19 and the ease of transmission of the disease to others, and whether reopening schools is contributing to the spread of Covid- 19 within communities. Finally, we need to quantify the losses associated with school closures. A year and a half after the start of the pandemic, such evidence is increasingly available, suggesting that the costs of school closures far outweigh the risks associated with opening schools with adequate mitigation strategies. in place, ”he said.
Last year, the Covid-19 pandemic led to the global closure of schools in more than 188 countries, leaving 1.6 billion children – 75% of enrolled students – out of school.
“As the Covid-19 pandemic spread in and between countries in early 2020, we knew very little about the virus: how it spread, who would be affected the most, and how to treat it. To protect children and slow the transmission of the disease, most governments have responded by closing schools.
“A year later, we know a lot more about the virus and the disease and how to mitigate transmission and health authorities like the WHO are only recommending that schools be closed as a last resort,” he said. -he declares.
Citing evidence for low transmission of Covid-19 in children, the World Bank said data from population surveillance studies and contact tracing studies suggest that, compared to adults and adolescents, young people children, especially those under the age of ten, are considerably less likely to contract Covid-19 and much less likely to transmit the disease.
“Among children who contract Covid-19, serious illnesses and deaths are rare and most often occur in children with other underlying illnesses,” he said.
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