Unlike the first confinement, France had decided to keep the schools open, with a strict health protocol, for the second confinement in the fall of 2020. However, the high schools were numerous to bring in the students alternately on a 50/50 model face-to-face and distance lessons. And around the world, patterns of reopening schools have varied. Today, the fear persists that schools could be places of acceleration of the Covid-19 epidemic.
To see more clearly, American researchers have compiled the results of numerous studies carried out in the United States and in Europe. Their results have just been published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA).
Internal school transmissions are weak or even non-existent
The study first looks back at the reasons which had led certain countries to close schools in the spring of 2020. The fear, underline the authors of the study, was above all that children would bring the virus back to family homes, outside of the establishment. And thereby infect weaker, more vulnerable people.
First observation, several results of studies carried out in several places in the United States, have shown that with the reopening of schools, no cases of widespread transmission had been recorded. On the other hand, the contaminations of Covid-19 towards the family and the close relations, were more important.
Other studies, including one relayed by the CDC on January 26, 2021, underlines that the contamination rate at school is generally much lower than when everyone goes home.
Respect barrier gestures and reopen schools
The researchers observe that there have been a few clusters in schools, as the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has already pointed out, which looked at statistics from 17 countries. But these “clusters” each time concern a small number of patients, 10 at most underlines the study.
That said, if this American study provides an argument in favor of maintaining face-to-face schooling, it concludes that schools that did not see rapid spread of the coronavirus are also those who apply a health protocol: wearing of masks by all staff and children, regular hand washing, physical distancing …
Operation in two complementary stages: on-site and virtual teaching, is also a good option according to the researchers, who stress the importance of reducing class sizes. The French policy of massive screening in schools seems to be an option favored by the conclusions of the study. Just like stopping indoor sports activities.
According to the latest National Education report (January 22), 64 schools (47 schools, 13 colleges, 4 high schools) are currently closed, i.e. 0.11% and 371 classes (0.07%). In addition, 10,003 students and 1,586 staff have tested positive over the past 7 days. “On several thousand tests carried out within the National Education, we have today the same rate of positivity as in December, comments the minister in the columns of the JDD, this January 24. The situation therefore allows school continuity, but we are vigilant. “
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