Can Schools Reopen Safely Before Kids Are Vaccinated?

Studies Done Abroad Show It’s Possible With A Mix Of Precautions In School And Restraint Outside

If you are a parent, any rumour about schools reopening probably fills you with dread, so you might consider this recommendation reckless: “Children should return to their normal lives this summer and in the upcoming school year, without masks and regardless of their vaccination status.”

The authors – four reputed scientists – had American kids in mind when they wrote it for the May 26 edition of The Washington Post. America is now in the middle of another Covid surge, but with 50% of its population fully vaccinated, as against 8% in India. More importantly, “almost 90% of educators and school staff are now vaccinated,” a White House fact sheet published on August 2 says.

The scientists therefore based their case on the argument: “vaccinating adults indirectly protects children…. Adult vaccination has lowered Covid-19 incidence among children by 50% in the past four weeks.”

The UK is another example of a country returning to normal life with the help of vaccines. There, children have already been attending school, but from August 16 masks and social distancing won’t be mandatory for them, the BBC says.

India might take a few more months to vaccinate half its population. Next year, hopefully, all children will attend school without fear, but until then is it possible to reopen schools safely?

Kids at low risk