In an opinion piece published in The Indian Journal of Medical Research, the experts cited a UNESCO report which stated that school closures in India for more than 500 days have affected over 320 million children. It has hit children from the relatively deprived areas and slums with many not being able to read more than a few words.
The opinion piece has synthesized scientific evidence from within India and abroad on the justification for the reopening of the schools. Experts said knowing that COVID-19 transmission is an “over-dispersed” phenomenon, testing strategies in schools could serve as key interventions to check the potential spread of the virus.
It is recommended that schools should have access to on-site testing facilities according to existing country-specific guidelines. Temporary or localized closures of a school may occur depending upon the local community transmission levels or if COVID-19 indicators worsen.
School teachers, staff, and those involved in the transportation of children should be vaccinated on an emergent basis and continue to use a mask even after receiving the jabs, the experts underlined.
However, it would be necessary to examine state-specific as well as district-specific data on earlier waves of infection and the status of adult vaccination coverage to project any plausible third wave and its potential intensity to inform decisions related to school reopening.
A survey has found that students missed out on social interactions, lacked physical activity and, had a sense of loosening the bonds of friendship due to prolonged school closures, mentioned in the piece ‘Reopening of schools during COVID-19 pandemic: A persistent dilemma’.
It must also be acknowledged that Covid testing strategies in schools should act as an adjunct and not substitute to other organizational and behavioral interventions, stated the perspective by Tanu Anand, Balram Bhargava and, Samiran Panda.
So schools need to be reopened in a phased manner, starting with primary sections with proper implementation of multi-layered COVID-19 mitigation measures.