Covid-19: Doctors' panel in favour of reopening schools at all levels

India’s leading epidemiologists have recommended urgent reopening of schools at all levels including the primary sections and resumption of in-person classes as the benefits "clearly outweighs any risk that it may implicate".

After reviewing the existing scientific data, the Indian Association of Preventive and Social Medicine – a body of 6,000 plus doctors from 550 medical colleges - recommended reopening with appropriate precautions such as improved ventilation, physical distancing and masking.

“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a major chunk of our population has been deprived of education and there is virtually no education in rural areas due to the big digital divide. The growth and development along with nutritional status from preschool to higher classes has been compromised. The benefits of opening the schools far outweighs the risk of SARS –CoV-2 infection,” Suneela Garg, president of IAPSM said in a statement.

The advisory comes at a time when several states have reopened schools starting with the senior classes (Class 9-12) but there are a few others who wanted to wait for some more time.

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While the doctors advised following certain safeguards for the schools to follow before opening, they admitted that it might be impracticable to have all the safeguards in place everywhere though it is desirable to do so.

From global scientific evidence, it is evident that children have a much lower risk of contracting and transmitting SARS-CoV-2 and encountering adverse outcomes. “Local health authorities and administration must engage with school authorities and parent-teacher bodies to ensure continuous communication and to address concerns, if any,” the association said.

There is no evidence that vaccination for kids is essential. In more than 175 countries schools are open but no country in the world has vaccinated children younger than 12 years.

The risk of moderate to severe disease is already very low among children and the social media comments on children being super-spreaders are myths.

The deaths in children due to SARS-CoV-2 are very rare. The risk of severe disease is only in those children who have pre-existing health conditions. Data from across the world and India shows that infection is generally very mild in children.

“Even if a few cases are reported in the school going children, we should not have panic driven knee-jerk reactions and close the schools. Such a decision is to be taken after a diligent epidemiological investigational and taking into consideration the local epidemic situation," said AM Kadri, secretary general of IAPSM.

It is time to bring children back to the classes and tackle widening learning inequities, tweeted Chandrakant Lahariya, an epidemiologist, public policy and health systems specialist based in Delhi.