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Even if the coronavirus epidemic continues at a relatively low level, the obligation to wear masks in schools for staff and at least older children should be generally introduced – recommends the COVID-19 team at the president of the Polish Academy of Sciences.
The COVID-19 team at the president of the Polish Academy of Sciences sent PAP a position on the return of students to schools in September 2020. Experts pointed out that it is not clear what the COVID-19 epidemic situation will look like in a few months, but it can be relied on follow-up based on forecasts.
Therefore, three possible scenarios were indicated depending on the intensity with which the epidemic will spread – i.e. the size of the R0 reproduction ratio (the average number of people infected by a single infected person). To talk about epidemic extinction, the R-factor should be less than or equal to 1 – the lower the better.
“Initially, three scenarios of possible development of the situation should be assumed: good, when R0 does not exceed 1,1; moderate, when R0 is between 1,1 and 1,7; bad, when R0 is greater than 1,7 »- points out the advisory team.
In his opinion, even in a good and optimistic scenario (R0 below 1,1 in the coming months), according to which the epidemic will be maintained at a relatively low level of intensity, face masks should generally be introduced in schools for staff and at least older children.
In the case of a moderate scenario, this recommendation should include increasing the distance between students ‘desks, separating groups of students who can contact each other, but not between groups, assigning teachers to specific classes, limiting students’ movement in the common space (e.g. asynchronous breaks) , airing rooms during the day and disinfection of benches, door handles and common items after classes.
The COVID-19 team also recommends that the sanitary supervision carefully monitor the health situation in the families of students, teachers and technical staff. The detection of a COVID-19 case at school should result in the initiation of a sanitary procedure developed in advance.
“As detailed testing of all individuals may not be possible, we suggest the use of group testing and environmental testing, both of which are actively developed by PAN and associate researchers,” wrote a statement.
On the other hand, in the case of a bad scenario, schools that operate in regions with a relatively high intensity of the epidemic and which cannot cope with the strict sanitary regime presented in the recommendations should switch to the system of remote classes.
Experts recommend to educational authorities that they should already develop recommendations that would be universally applicable in schools in the case of each of the three scenarios. In turn, schools, parents, sanitary institutions and local governments should prepare themselves urgently for their eventuality.
“This will allow school principals to make dynamic decisions based on clear guidelines. The guidelines should be an algorithm for dealing with specific cases, which will allow to maintain maximum functionality, with a quick response to local or regional events »- underlined.
The researchers wrote that in the fall and winter season, the course of COVID-19 is likely to deteriorate in many infected due to the typical seasonal epidemic of influenza in our region and the frequent occurrence of other viral and bacterial infections. However, after the widespread relaxation of the sanitary culture during the holiday season, a large increase in the number of cases in the country with local and even regional outbreaks should be expected.
The chairman of the COVID team is the president of the Polish Academy of Sciences – prof. Jerzy Duszyński, and his deputy – prof. Krzysztof Pyrć from the Jagiellonian University. Team members are also: Dr. Aneta Afelt (University of Warsaw), prof. Radosław Owczuk (Medical University of Gdańsk), dr hab. Anna Ochab-Marcinek (Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences), dr hab. Magdalena Rosińska (National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene), prof. Andrzej Rychard (Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences), dr hab. Tomasz Smiatacz (Medical University of Gdańsk). Other invited experts may participate in the work of the group.
Author: Szymon Zdziebijowski / PAP
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