By Edgar Nyandong
Since schools in Kenya are now open, one main concern for parents is exposure of their children to the coronavirus. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), available data suggests that children under 18 years of age represent about 8.5 percent of reported Covid-19 cases globally. There are relatively few deaths in this age group and the disease is typically mild. However, WHO notes that as with adults, pre-existing medical conditions have been suggested as a risk factor for severe disease and intensive care admission in children.
Currently, more studies are underway to assess the risk of infection in children and better understand transmission in the age group. As this happens, the decision to allow a child to go to school or not entirely depends on their health condition. This also depends on the rate of transmission in the locality and whether or not school will adhere to the health and safety protocols provided by the Ministry of Health.
The role of children in coronavirus transmission is still not fully understood though current evidence suggests that the risk of severe disease for children is generally lower than for adults. It has been noted that to date, few outbreaks have involved children or schools. However, the small number of outbreaks reported among teaching or associated staff to date suggests that spread of Covid-19 within educational settings may be limited.
Available evidence suggests that people with underlying conditions like chronic respiratory illnesses including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and others such as diabetes or cancer are at risk. This also appears to be the case for children, but WHO reiterates that more information is still needed.
As parents release their children to resume school, special precautions must be taken to minimize the risk of infection among children, especially those with the above underlying conditions. Presently, WHO is collaborating with scientists around the world to develop protocols that countries can use to study Covid-19 transmission in educational institutions.
The decision to open schools has possibly been made after a number of considerations. These have been guided by a risk-based approach, to maximize the educational, well-being and health benefits for students, teachers, staff and the wider community.
The WHO advises that the benefits and risks to children and staff of open schools should be put into consideration. The children with underlying conditions are more likely to be exposed where measures are not taken to protect them and their health. Therefore, local health authorities must have the capacity to detect and respond quickly to any reported child and community cases of Covid-19. This will be effectively achieved if schools are able to collaborate and coordinate with local public health authorities.
In the meantime, individual schools must assess their capacity to operate safely and assure parents of the safety of their children. As a checklist, parents should consider the following tips - keep your child at home if they are sick, teach your child proper personal hygiene, provide your child with food and clean drinking water from home, and teach them to sneeze or cough into their elbows or on a tissue paper.
