COVID-19 and School: To Open or Not to Open, That Is the Question. The First Review on Current Knowledge
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented closure of schools in terms of duration. The option of school closure, SARS-CoV-2 initially being poorly known, was influenced by the epidemiological aspects of the influenza virus. However, school closure is still under debate and seems unsupported...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-06-01
|
Series: | Pediatric Reports |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7503/13/2/35 |
_version_ | 1827690916010262528 |
---|---|
author | Francesco Busa Flaminia Bardanzellu Maria Cristina Pintus Vassilios Fanos Maria Antonietta Marcialis |
author_facet | Francesco Busa Flaminia Bardanzellu Maria Cristina Pintus Vassilios Fanos Maria Antonietta Marcialis |
author_sort | Francesco Busa |
collection | DOAJ |
description | The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented closure of schools in terms of duration. The option of school closure, SARS-CoV-2 initially being poorly known, was influenced by the epidemiological aspects of the influenza virus. However, school closure is still under debate and seems unsupported by sure evidence of efficacy in the COVID-19 era. The aim of our narrative review is to discuss the available literature on SARS-CoV-2 spread among children and adolescents, in the school setting, trying to explain why children appear less susceptible to severe disease and less involved in viral spreading. We also tried to define the efficacy of school closure, through an overview of the effects of the choices made by the various countries, trying to identify which preventive measures could be effective for a safe reopening. Finally, we focused on the psychological aspects of such a prolonged closure for children and adolescents. SARS-CoV-2, children, COVID-19, influenza, and school were used as key words in our literature research, updated to 29 March 2021. To our knowledge, this is the first review summarizing the whole current knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 spreading among children and adolescents in the school setting, providing a worldwide overview in such a pandemic context. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:48:44Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-54c7cc560398469b92c6305d71128967 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2036-7503 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:48:44Z |
publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Pediatric Reports |
spelling | doaj.art-54c7cc560398469b92c6305d711289672023-11-21T22:21:30ZengMDPI AGPediatric Reports2036-75032021-06-0113225727810.3390/pediatric13020035COVID-19 and School: To Open or Not to Open, That Is the Question. The First Review on Current KnowledgeFrancesco Busa0Flaminia Bardanzellu1Maria Cristina Pintus2Vassilios Fanos3Maria Antonietta Marcialis4Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, AOU and University of Cagliari, SS 554 km 4,500, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, AOU and University of Cagliari, SS 554 km 4,500, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, AOU and University of Cagliari, SS 554 km 4,500, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, AOU and University of Cagliari, SS 554 km 4,500, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyNeonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Surgical Sciences, AOU and University of Cagliari, SS 554 km 4,500, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented closure of schools in terms of duration. The option of school closure, SARS-CoV-2 initially being poorly known, was influenced by the epidemiological aspects of the influenza virus. However, school closure is still under debate and seems unsupported by sure evidence of efficacy in the COVID-19 era. The aim of our narrative review is to discuss the available literature on SARS-CoV-2 spread among children and adolescents, in the school setting, trying to explain why children appear less susceptible to severe disease and less involved in viral spreading. We also tried to define the efficacy of school closure, through an overview of the effects of the choices made by the various countries, trying to identify which preventive measures could be effective for a safe reopening. Finally, we focused on the psychological aspects of such a prolonged closure for children and adolescents. SARS-CoV-2, children, COVID-19, influenza, and school were used as key words in our literature research, updated to 29 March 2021. To our knowledge, this is the first review summarizing the whole current knowledge on SARS-CoV-2 spreading among children and adolescents in the school setting, providing a worldwide overview in such a pandemic context.https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7503/13/2/35SARS-CoV-2COVID-19childrenadolescentssecondary transmissionmolecular swab |
spellingShingle | Francesco Busa Flaminia Bardanzellu Maria Cristina Pintus Vassilios Fanos Maria Antonietta Marcialis COVID-19 and School: To Open or Not to Open, That Is the Question. The First Review on Current Knowledge Pediatric Reports SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 children adolescents secondary transmission molecular swab |
title | COVID-19 and School: To Open or Not to Open, That Is the Question. The First Review on Current Knowledge |
title_full | COVID-19 and School: To Open or Not to Open, That Is the Question. The First Review on Current Knowledge |
title_fullStr | COVID-19 and School: To Open or Not to Open, That Is the Question. The First Review on Current Knowledge |
title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 and School: To Open or Not to Open, That Is the Question. The First Review on Current Knowledge |
title_short | COVID-19 and School: To Open or Not to Open, That Is the Question. The First Review on Current Knowledge |
title_sort | covid 19 and school to open or not to open that is the question the first review on current knowledge |
topic | SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 children adolescents secondary transmission molecular swab |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2036-7503/13/2/35 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT francescobusa covid19andschooltoopenornottoopenthatisthequestionthefirstreviewoncurrentknowledge AT flaminiabardanzellu covid19andschooltoopenornottoopenthatisthequestionthefirstreviewoncurrentknowledge AT mariacristinapintus covid19andschooltoopenornottoopenthatisthequestionthefirstreviewoncurrentknowledge AT vassiliosfanos covid19andschooltoopenornottoopenthatisthequestionthefirstreviewoncurrentknowledge AT mariaantoniettamarcialis covid19andschooltoopenornottoopenthatisthequestionthefirstreviewoncurrentknowledge |