‘Contact tracing and epidemic control measures must for reopening of schools’

NAGPUR: According to two separate studies published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health journal, effective

contact tracing

and

epidemic control measures

are essential for safe re-opening of schools.

Though these studies are focused on UK and Australia, doctors say the same parameters will apply to India as well due to perceived increased risk for children.

Modelling the impact of UK schools reopening in September, the first study suggests that a second Covid-19 wave could be avoided in the UK, if accompanied by a test–trace–isolate programme. The study says that assuming 68% of contacts could be traced, 75% of individuals with

symptomatic infection

would need to be diagnosed and isolated if schools return full-time in September.

Dr Jasmina Panovska-Griffiths, UCL/Oxford, who lead the study said, “Without sufficient coverage of a test-trace-isolate strategy, the UK risks a serious second epidemic peak either in December or February. Therefore, we urge the government to ensure that test-trace-isolate capacity is scaled up to a sufficient level before schools reopen.”

Paediatrician Dr Rajiv Mohta said, “This is basically a concept similar to herd immunity. But we need to scale up this testing to a much higher level, identify infected people and start treatment. This will make it relatively safer for the remaining ones.”

Dr

Vagish Katariya

, a paediatrician whose family also runs a school, says kids have fortunately got a buffer. “Their

vaccination schedule

which covers MMR and Elphantitis, has boosted their chances of fighting off the infection. The 75% stated in the study is just a number and can’t be considered as benchmark of safety. Though school reopening must be delayed till it’s completely safe, I feel the danger is more for those who come to drop the kids,” said Dr Katariya.

The second study from Australia, analysing data collected between January and April 2020 in New South Wales (NSW), finds low levels of transmissions in schools and nurseries when control measures are in place. Of the total of 1.8 million children in NSW, the study identified only 98 children who were infected, accounting for 3.2% of total Covid-19 infections, confirming low rates of disease in this age group.

In India, physical school reopening has not yet been given the green signal by the central government.


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