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Keep schools closed https://twitter.com/paysupplystaff/status/1343120741693317120
The scientific evidence of multiple studies shows that students can be infected and infect others, and that outbreaks occur in schools.
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Because students are often asymptomatic (or particularly for young children perhaps are not reporting mild symptoms) standard testing protocols often miss their illnesses and contribution to transmission.
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Some countries have chosen not to test children, partially due to limited testing availability and prior assumptions that child infections are not important for their health or the outbreak transmission.
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Both of these have confused many other studies and has promoted an incorrect assessment of the involvement of children. Also, it is important to recognize that while students have a lower COVID-19 severe disease and mortality rate, these are not zero.
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The risk of child illnesses remains significant for parents and families affected. The emerging understanding of Long COVID that is known to affect tens of percents of those who are infected, including asymptomatic and mild cases, has not been shown to be age dependent.
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While data on children is just beginning to be collected, this leaves us with expectation children may very well suffer heart, brain, lung and other organ damage for long periods and even lifetimes. There is also severe MIS-C that affects children due to coronavirus infection
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Moreover, the transmission in schools, like other indoor, extended time gatherings, in often poorly ventilated rooms, and the use of shared bathrooms, are precisely the conditions for transmission including superspreader events that have been widely reported upon.
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Finally, it is imperative to recognize the dangers to teachers, parents, grandparents and other family members from the transmission.
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It is unfortunate the government sees these risks as tenable in the face of the potential psychological, social and economic disruption of the society, but does not recognize that their severity will cause tragic losses both now and over time.
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Lancet paper on the effect of School reopening on COVID transmission (25% increase in R)
https://twitter.com/yaneerbaryam/status/1324104305415213059?s=20
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https://twitter.com/yaneerbaryam/status/1324104305415213059?s=20
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Article reporting on Lancet paper: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/coronavirus-r-rate-school-closures-lockdown-lancet-study-b1251617.html
Link to lancet paper: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30785-4/fulltext
Science paper on India data: https://twitter.com/Princeton/status/1319609933063651330?s=20
Report on Science paper on India data https://www.princeton.edu/news/2020/09/30/largest-covid-19-contact-tracing-study-date-finds-children-key-spread-evidence
Science paper on India data https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/09/29/science.abd7672
Science paper on multiple European and other countries
Same result:
"Closing all educational institutions, limiting gatherings to 10 people or less, and closing face-to-face businesses each reduced transmission considerably."
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/12/15/science.abd9338
Same result:
"Closing all educational institutions, limiting gatherings to 10 people or less, and closing face-to-face businesses each reduced transmission considerably."
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2020/12/15/science.abd9338
Israel Ministry of Health report (Translation attached)
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/bz-400844120/he/files_publications_corona_bz-400844120.pdf
Translation
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e7b914b3b5f9a42199b3337/t/5fc59c993c02f22b9dcd92be/1606786208260/Schools+in+Israel.pdf
https://www.gov.il/BlobFolder/reports/bz-400844120/he/files_publications_corona_bz-400844120.pdf
Translation
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e7b914b3b5f9a42199b3337/t/5fc59c993c02f22b9dcd92be/1606786208260/Schools+in+Israel.pdf
More information https://twitter.com/yaneerbaryam/status/1318917775449034753?s=20
We must find other ways to take care of the needs of families and children that are safe.
