About fifty doctors and scientists are worried about the progression of the epidemic among the youngest and believe that the re-entry of January 3 is “at high risk”
Once again, the school is singled out for the spread of Covid-19. 50 healthcare professionals send an open letter, published in “Le Journal du dimanche”, to Olivier Véran, the Minister of Health. These teachers, doctors, pediatricians, epidemiologists… indeed say they are “very worried about the current level of viral circulation of the coronavirus among children and adolescents”.
According to data from Public Health France, between December 15 and 21, the incidence rate reached 516 cases per 100,000 in the 0-9 age group and 678 in 10-19 year olds. Over the same period, the incidence rate for all ages was 598. The 50 scientists involved report 300,000 young people positive for Covid-19 since the beginning of November. “More than 800 children under 10 and 300 adolescents from 10 to 19 years old [ont été] hospitalized in six weeks. “Figures which continue to increase while pediatric hospital services are already saturated.
“Weak means” for the school
The signatories of the letter also say they are concerned about the comments of certain scientists who “question the value of vaccination for children aged 5 to 11”, while the campaign has just been opened for this age category.
In addition, the signatories of the letter deplore “the weak resources deployed so far by the Ministry of National Education to curb the epidemic in schools”. Since the start of the September school year, the number of closed classes in France has been increasing. On December 16, the eve of the Christmas holidays, 3,150 classes were affected by a closure, despite the new health protocol (in primary school, a class no longer closes from the first case of Covid-19). “The lack of prevention in schools ultimately affects the care of the entire population”, add health professionals.
For a return to distance education
They therefore ask that the start of the school year, scheduled for Monday, January 3, be postponed. This resumption of classes is considered “high risk given its proximity to the New Year festivities”. A track already considered “as a last resort” by the Elysee a few days ago. But she does not have the favors of Jean-Michel Blanquer. Asked about this on December 16, the Minister of National Education indicated that “the closing of the school is not a miracle solution, the school is the last thing to close in a society”. The signatories plead for distance education “until the return to publicly defined thresholds of indicators”.
They also demand that the authorities make the public more aware of “aerosol transmission and the practices to be adopted to limit the risk of airborne contamination of the virus: CO2 sensors, aeration, ventilation, etc.” “. Finally, they ask that health professionals be involved in the development of a new health protocol in schools.
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