News1 | Schools in Europe are closing

The rise in Corona is forcing many states to close schools again, despite early promises that they will remain open throughout the winter, the Washington Post reports. The last country so far to do so is Germany, most of whose students have moved (Wednesday, 16.12.20) to distance learning as part of stricter closure rules. Schools were closed both in the Netherlands and in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.

The closure of schools in Germany and the Netherlands is a significant U-turn in Europe, where governments announced just a few months ago that opening schools is a high priority given the fact that they are not hotspots. Countless studies have shown that the virus is more limited in children; A study in Iceland concluded that the risk of infection under the age of 15 is only half that of adults. France was able to significantly flatten the curve in the November closure, without closing schools.

However, experts warn that the renewed outbreak could turn schools – and especially high schools – into hotspots. The rate of infection increases linearly with age, from the age of ten to the age of 20 – says Carrie Stephenson, CEO of the Icelandic biotech company Decode Genetics, which conducted the study on childhood infection. She found that although younger children are less vulnerable, older children Contribute to the spread of the virus.In light of this, says Stephenson, closing schools in Germany and the Netherlands makes sense.

A similar step may soon be taken in more parts of the continent. London Mayor Zadek Khan called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson earlier this week (14.12.20) to close high schools in the city, saying students are now responsible for a significant rate of infection in the UK capital. Closing in Europe is an alignment with the US, where in recent weeks schools have been reopened or reopened. But while in the US school closures come before steps like closing restaurants and bars, in Europe it is considered a last resort before a general closure.

The post mentions that most countries in the world closed schools in the first wave; At one point, 90% of the students around the world were at home. Students in poor countries were much more severely affected than those in rich countries, because in the absence of laptops and Internet connection – they could not get even a partial replacement of distance learning. But even in some of the richest countries in Europe, the closure of schools has caused concern. Researchers have warned that prolonged closure will create mental problems and leave students from the weaker sections behind.

The German Infectious Diseases Agency called in October to set a goal of continuing studies in the coming months. But even as these hopes fade, there are signs that the closure this coming winter will be different than the previous spring. In some German districts, class attendance was determined to be voluntary – which means that the recommendation is to stay at home, but children can go to school if their parents cannot work from home. Whereas Denmark, which has also jumped the number of patients in recent days, has announced that only older students will be sent home – although restrictions may be tightened if the situation worsens.