Schools reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic
Keywords:
COVID-19, schools’ reopening, pandemic
Abstract
On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, a pandemic. As a result numerous countries implemented restrictive measures to stop the spread of the virus, the closure of schools was a common decision implemented globally. Information regarding this decision is conflictive, some studies report that children have little role in the chain of transmission of the virus whereas others report children are an important vehicle of transmission due to their high viral load and tendency to go undetected in epidemiological radars. The closure of schools has a psychological and social impact on children; however, this should not be the only factor decision makers consider for reopening schools. Each government should consider its ability to respond to an emergent outbreak and keep epidemiological control and weight it against the impact of the closure on their children to start considering school reopening. To this end, international organizations have provided a list of recommendations to allow governments who decide to reopen schools to do so as safely as possible.
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References
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32. Stein-Zamir C, Abramson N, Shoob H, Libal E, Bitan M, Cardash T, et al. A large COVID-19 outbreak in a high school 10 days after schools’ reopening, Israel, May 2020. Eurosurveillance. 2020 Jul;25(29):1.
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34. Maltezou HC, Vorou R, Papadima K, Kossyvakis A, Spanakis N, Gioula G, et al. Transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 within families with children in Greece: A study of 23 clusters. J Med Virol. 2020;0–3.
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43. Benítez MA, Velasco C, Sequeira AR, Henríquez J, Menezes FM, Paolucci F. Responses to COVID-19 in five Latin American countries. Heal Policy Technol. 2020;9(4):525.
44. Zar HJ, Dawa J, Fischer GB, Castro-Rodriguez JA. Challenges of COVID-19 in children in low- and middle-income countries. Vol. 35, Paediatric Respiratory Reviews. W.B. Saunders Ltd; 2020. p. 70–4.
2. Mustafa MI, Abdelmoneim AH, Mahmoud EM, Makhawi AM. Cytokine Storm in COVID-19 Patients, Its Impact on Organs and Potential Treatment by QTY Code-Designed Detergent-Free Chemokine Receptors. Mediators Inflamm. 2020;2020:1–7.
3. Anum S. Minhas, M.D., Paul Scheel, M.D., Brian Garibaldi, M.D., Gigi Liu, M.D., M.Sc., Maureen Horton, M.D., Mark Jennings, M.D., M.H.S., Steven R. Jones, M.D., Erin D. Michos, M.D., M.H.S., Allison G. Hays MD. A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern Published. Ann Oncol. 2020;(January):19–20.
4. Zhen-Dong Y, Gao-Jun Z, Run-Ming J, Zhi-Sheng L, Zong-Qi D, Xiong X, et al. Clinical and transmission dynamics characteristics of 406 children with coronavirus disease 2019 in China: A review. Vol. 81, Journal of Infection. 2020. p. e11–5.
5. Chen ZM, Fu JF, Shu Q, Chen YH, Hua CZ, Li FB, et al. Diagnosis and treatment recommendations for pediatric respiratory infection caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus. World J Pediatr. 2020;16(3):240–6.
6. Dub T, Erra E, Hagberg L, Sarvikivi E, Virta C, Jarvinen A, et al. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 following exposure in school settings: experience from two Helsinki area exposure incidents. medRxiv. 2020;2020.07.20.20156018.
7. Song W, Li J, Zou N, Guan W, Pan J, Xu W. Clinical features of pediatric patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19). J Clin Virol. 2020 Jun;127(January):104377.
8. Jiehao C, Jin X, Daojiong L, Zhi Y, Lei X, Zhenghai Q, et al. A Case Series of Children With 2019 Novel Coronavirus Infection: Clinical and Epidemiological Features. Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Sep 12;71(6):1547–51.
9. Ebina-Shibuya R, Namkoong H, Shibuya Y, Horita N. Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) with COVID-19: Insights from simultaneous familial Kawasaki Disease cases. Int J Infect Dis. 2020 Aug;97:371–3.
10. Toubiana J, Poirault C, Corsia A, Bajolle F, Fourgeaud J, Angoulvant F, et al. Kawasaki-like multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children during the covid-19 pandemic in Paris, France: prospective observational study. BMJ. 2020 Jun;369:m2094.
11. Cheung EW, Zachariah P, Gorelik M, Boneparth A, Kernie SG, Orange JS, et al. Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome Related to COVID-19 in Previously Healthy Children and Adolescents in New York City. Vol. 324, JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association. American Medical Association; 2020. p. 294–6.
12. Oualha M, Bendavid M, Berteloot L, Corsia A, Lesage F, Vedrenne M, et al. Severe and fatal forms of COVID-19 in children. Arch Pediatr. 2020 Jul;27(5):235–8.
13. Zhang Y, Yu L, Tang LL, Zhu M, Jin Y, Wang Z, et al. A Promising Anti-Cytokine-Storm Targeted Therapy for COVID-19: The Artificial-Liver Blood-Purification System. Engineering. 2020.
14. CDC COVID-19 Response Team. Coronavirus disease 2019 in children — United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69(14):422–6.
15. She J, Liu L, Liu W. COVID-19 epidemic: Disease characteristics in children. J Med Virol. 2020;92(7):747–54.
16. Rajmil L. Role of children in the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid scoping review. BMJ Paediatr Open. 2020;4(1):1–6.
17. Viner RM, Russell SJ, Croker H, Packer J, Ward J, Stansfield C, et al. School closure and management practices during coronavirus outbreaks including COVID-19: a rapid systematic review. Lancet Child Adolesc Heal. 2020;4(5):397–404.
18. Zou L, Ruan F, Huang M, Liang L, Huang H, Hong Z, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load in Upper Respiratory Specimens of Infected Patients. N Engl J Med. 2020 Mar;382(12):1177–9.
19. Walsh KA, Jordan K, Clyne B, Rohde D, Drummond L, Byrne P, et al. SARS-CoV-2 detection, viral load and infectivity over the course of an infection. Vol. 81, Journal of Infection. W.B. Saunders Ltd; 2020. p. 357–71.
20. Baytiyeh H. Online learning during post-earthquake school closures. Disaster Prev Manag An Int J. 2018;27(2):215–27.
21. Bayham J, Fenichel EP. Impact of school closures for COVID-19 on the US health-care workforce and net mortality: a modelling study. Lancet Public Heal. 2020;5(5):e271–8.
22. Jeng MJ. Coronavirus disease 2019 in children: Current status. J Chinese Med Assoc. 2020;83(6):527–33.
23. Terry C. Jones, Barbara Mühlemann, Talitha Veith , Marta Zuchowski, Jörg Hofmann, Angela Stein, Anke Edelmann, Victor Max Corman CD. Un análisis de la carga viral de SARS-CoV-2 por edad del paciente, Nuevo!! – Observatorio Pandemia Sars-Cov-2/Covid-19, Guatemala [Internet]. Available from: https://sarscov2gt.wordpress.com/un-analisis-de-la-carga-viral-de-sars-cov-2-por-edad-del-paciente/
24. Carlson J. Covid-19 in schoolchildren: a comparison between Finland and Sweden. 2020. Disponible en: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/contentassets/c1b78bffbfde4a7899eb0d8ffdb57b09/covid-19-school-aged-children.pdf. (Accedido: 25/11/20)
25. Li X, Xu W, Dozier M, He Y, Kirolos A, Theodoratou E. The role of children in transmission of SARS-CoV-2: A rapid review. J Glob Health. 2020;10(1):1–10.
26. Munro APS, Faust SN. Addendum to: Children are not COVID-19 super spreaders: Time to go back to school. Arch Dis Child. 2020;19–20.
27. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. COVID-19 in children and the role of school settings in COVID-19 transmission. 2020;(August):31.
28. Dong Y, Dong Y, Mo X, Hu Y, Qi X, Jiang F, et al. Epidemiology of COVID-19 among children in China. Vol. 145, Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics; 2020. p. 20200702.
29. Yung CF, Kam KQ, Wong MSY, Maiwald M, Tan YK, Tan BH, et al. Environment and Personal Protective Equipment Tests for SARS-CoV-2 in the Isolation Room of an Infant With Infection. Ann Intern Med. 2020 Aug;173(3):240–2.
30. Arnaud Fontanet A, Tondeur L, Madec Y, Grant R, Besombes C, Jolly N, et al. Cluster of COVID-19 in northern France: A retrospective closed cohort study.
31. Gudbjartsson DF, Helgason A, Jonsson H, Magnusson OT, Melsted P, Norddahl GL, et al. Spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the Icelandic Population. N Engl J Med. 2020 Jun;382(24):2302–15.
32. Stein-Zamir C, Abramson N, Shoob H, Libal E, Bitan M, Cardash T, et al. A large COVID-19 outbreak in a high school 10 days after schools’ reopening, Israel, May 2020. Eurosurveillance. 2020 Jul;25(29):1.
33. Wada K, Okabe N, Shobugawa Y. Infection and transmission of COVID-19 among students and teachers in schools in Japan after the reopening in June 2020. BMJ Paediatr Open. 2020 Sep;4(1).
34. Maltezou HC, Vorou R, Papadima K, Kossyvakis A, Spanakis N, Gioula G, et al. Transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 within families with children in Greece: A study of 23 clusters. J Med Virol. 2020;0–3.
35. Finn Church Aid, INEE, Nile Hope, Norwegian Refugee Council, Plan International, Save the Children, UNHCR, UNESCO IIEP, War Child UK WVI. REGRESO SEGURO A LA ESCUELA: UNA GUÍA PARA LA PRÁCTICA.
36. Hoffmann M, Kleine-Weber H, Schroeder S, Krüger N, Herrler T, Erichsen S, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Depends on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and Is Blocked by a Clinically Proven Protease Inhibitor. Cell. 2020 Apr;181(2):271-280.e8.
37. Abufhele M, Jeanneret V. Home confinement: The other side of the epidemic. Vol. 91, Revista Chilena de Pediatria. Sociedad Chilena de Pediatria; 2020. p. 319–21.
38. COVID-19: la FICR, UNICEF y la OMS publican una guía para proteger a los niños y apoyar la seguridad en las operaciones escolares.
39. Public Health Agency of Sweden. Covid-19 in schoolchildren: A comparison between Finland and Sweden. 2020.
40. Bogdanowicz Elizabeth,Gauto, Hugo Sebastián, Olivieri María Alejandra PV. Documento conjunto de posicionamiento para la vuelta a las escuelas Sociedad Argentina de Pediatría.
41. Im Kampe EO, Lehfeld AS, Buda S, Buchholz U, Haas W. Surveillance of COVID-19 school outbreaks, Germany, March to August 2020. Vol. 25, Eurosurveillance. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC); 2020. p. 1.
42. Perez Zorrilla Julia. Reopening schools in Uruguay during a health emergency - UNICEF Connect.
43. Benítez MA, Velasco C, Sequeira AR, Henríquez J, Menezes FM, Paolucci F. Responses to COVID-19 in five Latin American countries. Heal Policy Technol. 2020;9(4):525.
44. Zar HJ, Dawa J, Fischer GB, Castro-Rodriguez JA. Challenges of COVID-19 in children in low- and middle-income countries. Vol. 35, Paediatric Respiratory Reviews. W.B. Saunders Ltd; 2020. p. 70–4.
Published
2021-03-14
How to Cite
1.
Gavilánez-Morales C, Serrano-Arevalo K, Guerra V, Simancas-Racines D, Montesinos-Guevara C. Schools reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic. PFR [Internet]. 2021Mar.14 [cited 2025Jun.24];6(1). Available from: https://www.practicafamiliarrural.org/index.php/pfr/article/view/192
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