PAS scientists appeal: airing, masks, testing in schools. “Delta spreads extremely easily in closed classrooms”

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Scientists from the COVID-19 team at the President of the Polish Academy of Sciences are calling for urgent and consistent implementation of WMT procedures in schools – airing, masks, testing. According to them, the Delta variant of the coronavirus is spread more by air and less by droplets, so the priorities for preventive actions should be slightly different than before.

In Poland, 50 percent of them were vaccinated. of the population, and in the group from 12 to 18 years of age, 24 percent were vaccinated. students – indicate scientists from the team at the president of the Polish Academy of Sciences
As they emphasize, school is a place that in the autumn may contribute to the increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections.
«With this variant, children may have more severe infections and may have more cases of multi-organ inflammatory syndrome (PIMS, MIS-C). Children can also pass the infection on to parents, siblings, grandparents and friends – note the experts from the COVID-19 team at the president of the Polish Academy of Sciences
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«In the absence of a vaccine approved for use in children up to 12 years of age and the lack of compulsory vaccination of children over 12 years of age, only non-specific prevention measures may be used in schools: airing rooms, masks, testing, keeping distance and disinfection»- indicate scientists in the 20th position, published on Monday on the website of the Polish Academy of Sciences.

They note that as the new school year begins, the COVID-19 epidemic is picking up again. “We are in the early stages of the fourth wave and vaccination is still too low to stop it,” they emphasize.

What happened a year ago when the children returned to school? What could happen now?

Remind that in Poland, 50 percent were vaccinated. of the population, and in the group from 12 to 18 years of age, 24 percent were vaccinated. students. But, as they point out, vaccination rates vary greatly from region to region. «We should sound the alarm especially where vaccination levels are relatively low. There, the fourth wave, the main infectious factor of which will be DELTA SARS-CoV-2, may have particularly dangerous consequences for the functioning of schools, and of course also for the health of their inhabitants »- we read in the statement.

According to the COVID-19 team, the school is a place that may particularly contribute to the increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the fall. As scientists point out, infection with this variant of the Coronavirus Delta spreads extremely easily in closed rooms where large groups of people reside and more often causes the dangerous symptomy. «With this variant, children may have more severe infections and may have more cases of multiorgan inflammatory syndrome (PIMS, MIS-C). Children can also pass the infection on to parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. A similar source of infections may be school staff, especially the unvaccinated, that is about 20 percent of it »- they warn.

The role of masks is growing. Infector: the situation has changed. What does it mean?

In their opinion, due to the lack of a vaccine approved for use in children up to 12 years of age and the lack of compulsory vaccination of children over 12 years of age, only non-specific prevention measures can be used in schools: airing rooms, masks, testing, keeping distances and disinfecting.

«DELTA is a slightly different variant of SARS-CoV-2 than the previous ones. It is spread more by air and less by droplets, therefore the priorities of individual preventive measures should be slightly different than before »- emphasized in the position paper.

Scientists recommend intensive airing of school rooms, even at the cost of the fact that, on particularly cold days, children and teachers would have to function in warm covers at school. In their opinion, it is best for the windows to be open all the time or with a slightly ajar during the lessons.

“There will be outbreaks of contamination in schools.” Advice from a pediatrician for parents

«The second procedure that we strongly recommend is wearing face masks. However, it is important that the masks are worn correctly – the mouth and nose should be covered with them. Moreover, the masks should be replaced with new or clean ones twice a day, and the used disposable masks should be disposed of at school after the temples are cut properly »- write experts.

In addition, as they indicate, “extremely important practice” should be to ensure that even in the case of the slightest symptoms of colds (fever, runny nose) the student remains at home or is sent home. «We also recommend that schools receive rapid, certified antigen tests. This will make it possible to test students who have even minor symptoms or have had contact with people with an infection »- we read in the statement.

The full text of the position can be found at this address.

The interdisciplinary advisory team for COVID-19 was established at the Polish Academy of Sciences on June 30, 2020. The chairman of the group is the president of the Polish Academy of Sciences, prof. Jerzy Duszyński, and his deputy – prof. Krzysztof Pyrć (Jagiellonian University).

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PAS scientists appeal: airing, masks, testing in schools. “Delta spreads extremely easily in closed classrooms”

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