Texte en attente de traduction – texte original en anglais
Given the current circumstances, the Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force (STF), pédiatrie suisse (PS) and Kinderärzte Schweiz (KIS) decided to develop and publish a joint statement regarding measures in schools.
As a foreword to the current statement, a few points should be addressed:
- STF, pédiatrie suisse and KIS uniformly agree that keeping schools open remains the main goal, in order to limit disruption in children’s education and social contacts.
- Despite early fears that the Delta variant may cause more severe acute disease, this has not been observed in children[4], the increase in hospitalization being mainly due to the absolute number of children infected. It is yet unclear whether the Omicron variant is associated with a different disease severity in children than previously circulating variants.
- Given the contagiousness of circulating variants, all children will eventually come into contact with the virus. All unvaccinated children and many vaccinated children will in due course be infected, and for unvaccinated children this will take place without previously trained specific immunity. It is therefore important that measures are in place in schools to limit virus circulation. Such measures can limit the number of pediatric infections, thus increasing the chances that children whose parents wish to vaccinate them have the opportunity to receive two doses before coming into contact with the virus.
To ensure SARS-CoV-2 circulation remains low in children over the Delta and Omicron waves while keeping schools open and allowing the rollout of vaccination, the STF, PS, and KIS agree on a series of measures.