{"id":61254,"date":"2022-01-26T12:33:47","date_gmt":"2022-01-26T17:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=61254"},"modified":"2022-01-26T12:33:47","modified_gmt":"2022-01-26T17:33:47","slug":"despite-omicron-arriving-keeping-schools-open-as-safely-as-possible-should-be-the-goal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/despite-omicron-arriving-keeping-schools-open-as-safely-as-possible-should-be-the-goal\/","title":{"rendered":"Despite Omicron arriving, keeping schools open as safely as possible should be the goal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/schoolkidsmasks.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"680\" height=\"383\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-61255\" srcset=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/schoolkidsmasks.jpg 680w, https:\/\/world.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/schoolkidsmasks-250x141.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px\" \/><br \/>\nThe Omicron variant has caused\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newstalkzb.co.nz\/news\/world\/covid-19-us-omicron-explosion-spurs-nationwide-breakdown-of-services\/\">serious disruption<\/a>\u00a0to schooling overseas. As Aotearoa New Zealand prepares for an Omicron outbreak, we expect calls to close schools as case numbers rise.<\/p>\n<p>In our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.auckland.ac.nz\/en\/news\/2022\/01\/24\/children-s-doctors-oppose-covid-19-school-closures0.html\">research report<\/a>, we assess the impacts of school closures on children and young people and make policy recommendations.<\/p>\n<p>From a child-centred perspective, the goal should be to protect children from both direct and indirect harms from the pandemic. Direct harms refer to COVID-19 illness among children and their wh\u0101nau. Indirect harms include educational impacts, social isolation and loneliness, financial strain and family stress \u2013 all of which children can experience during isolation or school closures.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s important to protect children from both types of harm.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s helpful to understand that children have consistently experienced less severe illness compared to older age groups. Infection in children typically\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcri.edu.au\/sites\/default\/files\/media\/documents\/covid-19-and-child-and-adolescent-health-140921.pdf\">resembles a cold<\/a>, with cough, fever, sore throat and gastrointestinal symptoms that can be managed at home.<\/p>\n<p>Many children have no symptoms at all. Of the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.govt.nz\/our-work\/diseases-and-conditions\/covid-19-novel-coronavirus\/covid-19-data-and-statistics\/covid-19-case-demographics#hospitalisations\">4,960 children who had COVID-19<\/a>\u00a0in the Auckland Delta outbreak in August, between 1% to 2% were hospitalised. One child was admitted to an intensive care unit.<\/p>\n<p>Hospitalisations will be much less common with vaccinations now available for all school-aged children. More than\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.govt.nz\/our-work\/diseases-and-conditions\/covid-19-novel-coronavirus\/covid-19-data-and-statistics\/covid-19-vaccine-data\">90% of 12-18 year olds<\/a>\u00a0have already had two Pfizer doses.<\/p>\n<p>The Omicron variant appears to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.medrxiv.org\/content\/10.1101\/2022.01.11.22269045v1\">cause less severe illness<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/content\/28be9d3f-0b12-4c33-bda9-fbff375c0b7e\">including for children<\/a>, than previous variants. Vaccinations are effective at protecting children from serious illness and are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.govt.nz\/our-work\/diseases-and-conditions\/covid-19-novel-coronavirus\/covid-19-vaccines\/covid-19-vaccine-health-advice\/covid-19-vaccine-and-children-information-parents-and-caregivers\">very safe<\/a>.<br \/>\n<center><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Children aged 5-11 are now eligible for their COVID-19 vaccine. Here\u2019s a few tips to help get your tamariki prepared. <\/p>\n<p>\u2705 Talk to them about vaccination now<br \/>Explain that it might hurt for a short time, just like their other childhood immunisations. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7y4fqTbAM3\">pic.twitter.com\/7y4fqTbAM3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Unite against COVID-19 (@covid19nz) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/covid19nz\/status\/1483706104160952322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 19, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/center><\/p>\n<p>In adolescents, two doses of the Pfizer vaccine are 94%\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/medicine.unimelb.edu.au\/__data\/assets\/pdf_file\/0005\/4026641\/Melbourne-Childrens-Campus-Weekly-COVID-19-Vaccine-Updates-20-January-2022.pdf\">protective<\/a>\u00a0against hospitalisation, 98% against ICU admission and 91% against the rarer complication of multisystem inflammatory syndrome. It is reasonable to expect similar vaccine protection for 5-11-year-olds.<\/p>\n<p>Vaccines for primary school children need to be\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/journal.nzma.org.nz\/journal-articles\/the-urgent-need-for-an-equitable-covid-19-paediatric-vaccine-roll-out-to-avoid-harm-to-tamariki-maori\">rolled out rapidly and equitably<\/a>, especially for M\u0101ori and Pacific children who have borne a larger burden of illness and hospitalisation.<\/p>\n<p>As vaccination coverage for 5-11-year-olds rises and adults are increasingly vaccinated and boosted, it\u2019s time to pay more attention to protecting children from the indirect harms of the pandemic.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Prolonged closures are not a sustainable strategy<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>During the first 18 months of the pandemic, Aotearoa New Zealand topped the OECD for the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1787\/1a23bb23-en\">number of days schools remained fully open<\/a>. The successful elimination strategy used lockdowns, including school closures, to stamp out community transmission. This resulted in schools being fully open for long periods.<\/p>\n<p>In a post-elimination context, with a highly vaccinated population and vaccines available for all school children, prolonged school closures are not an optimal or sustainable strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Schools have not been\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.journalofinfection.com\/article\/S0163-4453(21)00633-2\/fulltext\">major drivers of community transmission<\/a>, compared to churches, gyms, restaurants and bars, probably due to protective measures in schools to prevent transmission. A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bmjopen.bmj.com\/content\/11\/8\/e053371.info\">systematic review<\/a>\u00a0was inconclusive as to whether school closures significantly affected community transmission.<\/p>\n<p>It does not make sense to close schools while allowing other higher-risk indoor venues to stay open. School closures should be a last resort to control community transmission.<\/p>\n<p>Schools should be considered as \u201cessential services\u201d for children and young people. Beyond formal education, they provide friendships, meals, social support, and therapists for children with disabilities.<\/p>\n<p>Due to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.maorifutures.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/BERL-Education-Awa-Education-Outcomes-for-Maori.pdf\">educational disadvantages<\/a>, M\u0101ori and Pacific children are more affected by school closures and have the most to gain from ongoing in-person learning.<\/p>\n<p>Lost learning from school closures\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1787\/1a23bb23-en\">can be considerable<\/a>. While catch-up learning can occur,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1787\/1a23bb23-en\">students from disadvantaged backgrounds<\/a>\u00a0can continue to lag behind, exacerbating existing inequities, with potentially life-long occupational impacts.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Children\u2019s mental health<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>School closures also affect children\u2019s emotional and mental health. Many children are resilient, but a substantial proportion experience\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcri.edu.au\/sites\/default\/files\/media\/covid_in_schools_report_final_10112020.pdf\">poorer mental health and behavioural problems<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Social isolation, financial stress and divided attention at home can also contribute to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1542\/peds.2020-016824\">worsening parental mental health<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcri.edu.au\/sites\/default\/files\/media\/covid_in_schools_report_final_10112020.pdf\">family violence<\/a>. One in ten New Zealanders\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0241658\">surveyed during the 2020 national lockdown<\/a>\u00a0reported directly experiencing some form of family violence. In all of these, disadvantaged children are disproportionately affected.<\/p>\n<p>These indirect impacts are harder to quantify than case counts and hospitalisations but they are very real. Toxic stress \u2013 prolonged, stressful experiences in childhood \u2013 can lead to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/publications.aap.org\/pediatrics\/article\/129\/1\/e232\/31628\/The-Lifelong-Effects-of-Early-Childhood-Adversity\">permanent changes<\/a>\u00a0in the architecture of the developing brain and stress-hormone systems, with life-long impacts on health and development.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Ventilation, masks and outdoor learning<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>We need to optimise the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sciblogs.co.nz\/public-health-expert\/2021\/10\/11\/urgent-measures-needed-to-allow-the-safe-re-opening-of-auckland-schools\/\">multi-layered approach<\/a>\u00a0to reducing COVID-19 transmission in schools in light of Omicron\u2019s increased transmissibility.<\/p>\n<p>Improving natural ventilation, maximising outdoor learning, using well-fitted masks and avoiding high-risk activities such as singing indoors are all known to reduce transmission within schools, particularly when these preventative measures\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecdc.europa.eu\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/COVID-19-in-children-and-the-role-of-school-settings-in-transmission-second-update.pdf\">are layered<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Natural ventilation is easier in summer through opening windows and doors. Carbon dioxide monitors can identify where ventilation needs to be improved and portable HEPA air cleaners for hard-to-ventilate rooms will be part of a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.newstalkzb.co.nz\/news\/education\/covid-19-omicron-outbreak-5000-air-purifiers-ordered-for-nz-schools\/\">clean-air strategy for schools<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Schools also need a robust mask strategy and teachers would benefit from access to strong mask protection. Booster vaccines for teachers are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.govt.nz\/our-work\/diseases-and-conditions\/covid-19-novel-coronavirus\/covid-19-response-planning\/covid-19-mandatory-vaccinations\">mandated<\/a>\u00a0and provide another strong layer of protection.<\/p>\n<p>We also need to understand whether using rapid antigen tests to reduce the number of infected children attending schools is workable, as using these can be difficult to implement successfully. Surveillance testing, where students and staff are tested at home regularly, and test-to-stay policies, where students and staff who are close contacts test daily and only attend school if they test negative, are based on sound public health principles and deserve careful consideration.<\/p>\n<p>We are calling for school closures to be a last resort to control community transmission. But this does not mean we believe schools should remain open for onsite learning at all costs.<\/p>\n<p>Despite best efforts, schools may need to close temporarily during significant outbreaks or if large numbers of staff fall ill or isolate. But even if a school needs to revert to online learning, this doesn\u2019t mean all in-person learning has to end.<\/p>\n<p>Regular outdoor sessions could continue for all students even if indoor learning pauses, such as physical education classes, games for primary schoolers, and small group learning sessions. Such opportunities for interacting with friends and teachers would maintain relationships and bring many benefits for children at very low risk.<\/p>\n<p>Doing our best for children and young people in 2022 means thinking about their health holistically. As vaccination coverage rises, keeping schools open as safely as possible is the most equitable plan for children.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Author Bio:<\/strong> Jin Russell is a Community and Developmental Paediatrician at the University of Auckland<\/em><\/p>\n<p>This article was co-authored by public health physicians Dr Subha Rajanaidu (Auckland and Waitemata District Health Boards) and Dr Philippa Anderson (Counties Manukau DHB), and paediatricians Dr Danny de Lore (Ng\u0101ti Tuwharetoa, chair Royal Australasian College of Physicians\u2019 Indigenous Child Health working group), Dr Emma Best, Dr Alison Leversha and Dr Rachel Webb (all at the University of Auckland).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Omicron variant has caused\u00a0serious disruption\u00a0to schooling overseas. As Aotearoa New Zealand prepares for an Omicron outbreak, we expect calls to close schools as case numbers rise. In our\u00a0research report, we assess the impacts of school closures on children and young people and make policy recommendations. From a child-centred perspective, the goal should be to [&hellip;]\n&hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/despite-omicron-arriving-keeping-schools-open-as-safely-as-possible-should-be-the-goal\/\" class=\"more\">learn more&rarr;<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15645],"tags":[428879],"coauthors":[11733],"class_list":["post-61254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-education","tag-school-safety"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Despite Omicron arriving, keeping schools open as safely as possible should be the goal - World leading higher education information and services<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/world.edu\/despite-omicron-arriving-keeping-schools-open-as-safely-as-possible-should-be-the-goal\/\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Despite Omicron arriving, keeping schools open as safely as possible should be the goal - World leading higher education information and services\" class=\"yoast-seo-meta-tag\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Omicron variant has caused\u00a0serious disruption\u00a0to schooling overseas. As Aotearoa New Zealand prepares for an Omicron outbreak, we expect calls to close schools as case numbers rise. In our\u00a0research report, we assess the impacts of school closures on children and young people and make policy recommendations. 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As Aotearoa New Zealand prepares for an Omicron outbreak, we expect calls to close schools as case numbers rise. In our\u00a0research report, we assess the impacts of school closures on children and young people and make policy recommendations. 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