Europe’s schools still open, still relatively safe, through covid-19 second wave https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

“It is still difficult for me to understand why schools are closed in the United States,” said Otto Helve, a [Finnish] specialist in pediatric infectious diseases...who has studied coronavirus transmission in schools. “Schools are not driving the epidemic”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

"In Finland, 20,000 of about 1.2 million students and teachers this school year have been asked to quarantine because of possible in-school exposure...But just 1 percent of that group — about 200 people — has gone on to exhibit any coronavirus symptoms [and test positive]."

VERY IMPORTANT observation from Europe about "cases" in schools

Asymptomatic "cases" aren't hiding in European schools because of lack of testing.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

Spain reopened schools "as cases were already rising sharply across the country" and, despite predictions of "the apocalypse," there "were no big outbreaks."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

Catalonia:

87 percent of initial cases in classrooms did not spread to another person
Among the 13 percent that did, the “vast majority” spread to only two or three other people in the school
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

"The virus’s onward spread was limited even though Spain’s positive...test rate — 13 percent at its peak in early November, and 10 percent now — is far higher than the level that many U.S. school districts have said is acceptable for in-person schooling."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

Incredible data from France on infections in schools: "The week of France’s peak last month, 0.1 percent of students and 0.2 percent of school personnel tested positive for the coronavirus."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

Belgium's top virologist: "Schools are the last thing to close, they’re really the last thing on the list. There is political pressure and societal pressure. We consider schooling an absolute priority."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

"Teachers unions, which have emerged as a powerful force of opposition to school reopenings in the United States, have generally been more acquiescent in Europe, pushing for safety measures rather than closures."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

"Keeping the virus in check is “easier in school,” Trujillo said. “Here, the environment is under control.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

Yet another European doctor argues that schools as "controlled environments" are safer than the "uncontrolled environments" outside schools.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html

“It is very clear to everyone what the downsides are to having school closures,” Helve said. “The downside to closing would need to be compensated by an extremely good outcome in terms of disease control, and it doesn’t seem to do that.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-schools-covid-open/2020/12/01/4480a5c8-2e61-11eb-9dd6-2d0179981719_story.html