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| Coronavirus: scientists caution against reopening schools | Coronavirus: scientists caution against reopening schools |
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| Study finds children may be as infectious as adults – but Unicef warns closures put vulnerable pupils at risk | Study finds children may be as infectious as adults – but Unicef warns closures put vulnerable pupils at risk |
| Scientists have cautioned against the reopening of schools after findings suggested children could be as infectious as adults. | |
| The study, which was carried out by the team of leading German virologist Christian Drosten, found that even though children tend to have far milder symptoms, those infected appear to have the same levels of circulating virus in their body as adults. This suggests schools and nurseries could act as hubs of Covid-19 transmission if current restrictions were lifted. | |
| “We have to caution against an unlimited reopening of schools and kindergartens in the present situation, with a widely susceptible population and the necessity to keep transmission rates low,” Drosten and colleagues concluded. “Children may be as infectious as adults.” | “We have to caution against an unlimited reopening of schools and kindergartens in the present situation, with a widely susceptible population and the necessity to keep transmission rates low,” Drosten and colleagues concluded. “Children may be as infectious as adults.” |
| The study’s findings came as Unicef warned that the low number of vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils attending UK schools was “deeply concerning”, raising the risk of their education and safety being badly affected by the coronavirus crisis – particularly if schools are seen as hotbeds of infection. | The study’s findings came as Unicef warned that the low number of vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils attending UK schools was “deeply concerning”, raising the risk of their education and safety being badly affected by the coronavirus crisis – particularly if schools are seen as hotbeds of infection. |
| Department for Education figures show just one in 10 pupils classed as vulnerable – those in care, with a social worker or with certified special needs or disabilities – went to school in England last week, despite being encouraged to do so. | Department for Education figures show just one in 10 pupils classed as vulnerable – those in care, with a social worker or with certified special needs or disabilities – went to school in England last week, despite being encouraged to do so. |
| Unicef’s views were echoed by the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which issued a stern warning that GCSE and A-level grade assessments this summer should not unfairly penalise children from minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. | Unicef’s views were echoed by the UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which issued a stern warning that GCSE and A-level grade assessments this summer should not unfairly penalise children from minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. |
| Sacha Deshmukh, the executive director of Unicef UK, said that with more than 90% of vulnerable pupils not attending schools, British governments needed to think carefully about how they should receive greater support when schools are able to reopen. | Sacha Deshmukh, the executive director of Unicef UK, said that with more than 90% of vulnerable pupils not attending schools, British governments needed to think carefully about how they should receive greater support when schools are able to reopen. |
| “Low school attendance of vulnerable children is deeply concerning. School provides more than an education – for many it is their only safe space. | “Low school attendance of vulnerable children is deeply concerning. School provides more than an education – for many it is their only safe space. |
| “We know that in the UK, continued closures are likely to widen inequality gaps, with the poorest and most vulnerable children expected to suffer ‘learning loss’ and have lower education attainment. This will have far-reaching implications on their futures,” Deshmukh said. | “We know that in the UK, continued closures are likely to widen inequality gaps, with the poorest and most vulnerable children expected to suffer ‘learning loss’ and have lower education attainment. This will have far-reaching implications on their futures,” Deshmukh said. |
| But policymakers will be forced to balance those concerns against the immediate risks that could be attached to reopening schools if children are just as infectious as adults. The German study, which was published as a preprint that has not yet been peer reviewed, screened nearly 60,000 patients for Covid-19, of whom nearly 4,000 tested positive. When the team compared the viral load across age groups, they found similar levels throughout, ranging from one-10 years to 91-100 years. | |
| There has been continuing speculation about when schools might reopen, and whether older year groups, including pupils in their final year of primary school and those in the middle of GCSE and A-level courses, could be among the first to be brought back into schools as they might benefit most. | There has been continuing speculation about when schools might reopen, and whether older year groups, including pupils in their final year of primary school and those in the middle of GCSE and A-level courses, could be among the first to be brought back into schools as they might benefit most. |
| When questioned at a select committee hearing on Wednesday, the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, declined to give a date for reopening, saying schools would open in a phased manner. | When questioned at a select committee hearing on Wednesday, the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, declined to give a date for reopening, saying schools would open in a phased manner. |
| “We recognise that the idea of schools all returning on day one with the full complement of pupils is not realistic or practical,” he said. “I also intend to be giving schools as much notice as possible.” | “We recognise that the idea of schools all returning on day one with the full complement of pupils is not realistic or practical,” he said. “I also intend to be giving schools as much notice as possible.” |
| As countries across Europe move to ease lockdown restrictions, there is growing discussion about the role of schools in boosting transmission. However, studies looking at the actual rates of transmissionhave been complicated by the fact schools are currently shut or open only to small numbers of children. | As countries across Europe move to ease lockdown restrictions, there is growing discussion about the role of schools in boosting transmission. However, studies looking at the actual rates of transmissionhave been complicated by the fact schools are currently shut or open only to small numbers of children. |
| Fewer children have been picked up in national testing programmes, due to milder symptoms. And during the early phase of the epidemic in Europe, adult travellers played a dominant role in seeding infections, which also meant, purely for circumstantial reasons, that children were more likely to catch Covid-19 than to spread infections to other household members. “This observation may be misunderstood as an indication of children being less infectious,” the authors said. | Fewer children have been picked up in national testing programmes, due to milder symptoms. And during the early phase of the epidemic in Europe, adult travellers played a dominant role in seeding infections, which also meant, purely for circumstantial reasons, that children were more likely to catch Covid-19 than to spread infections to other household members. “This observation may be misunderstood as an indication of children being less infectious,” the authors said. |
| The latest work aimed to provide an indirect insight into infectivity. It is possible, the authors concluded, that because asymptomatic children are not coughing they would be less infectious, but the close physical contact between schoolchildren might compensate for that. | The latest work aimed to provide an indirect insight into infectivity. It is possible, the authors concluded, that because asymptomatic children are not coughing they would be less infectious, but the close physical contact between schoolchildren might compensate for that. |
| Unicef has published joint guidelines, with Unesco, the World Food Programme and the World Bank, on how local and national governments can best keep children safe when schools reopen. | Unicef has published joint guidelines, with Unesco, the World Food Programme and the World Bank, on how local and national governments can best keep children safe when schools reopen. |
| Deshmukh said: “Reopening schools must be done with the safety and best interests of children at the heart of decision-making. We urge the UK government to use these guidelines as they consider a phased reopening of schools, and develop a comprehensive children’s recovery plan that outlines ongoing support for learners who may have fallen behind during school closures.” | Deshmukh said: “Reopening schools must be done with the safety and best interests of children at the heart of decision-making. We urge the UK government to use these guidelines as they consider a phased reopening of schools, and develop a comprehensive children’s recovery plan that outlines ongoing support for learners who may have fallen behind during school closures.” |