South African Paediatric Association says children should go back to school
The association has shared its support and the reasons behind it in a detailed media statement.
In the midst of the ongoing confusion about when schools in SA will reopen, following the now two-month-long closure as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the South African Paediatric Association (SAPA) has put out out a statement saying that kids should go back to school.
Also Read: Back-to-school: What you need to know
The statement dated 30 May 2020, which is currently being shared widely on Twitter says: “The South African paediatrics association supports the government’s position that children should go back to school on 1 June 2020.
“There is uncertainty about the future trajectory of Covid-19 in South Africa with more infections and a long duration being predicted. Children biologically handle SARV-CoV 2 better than adults and are less likely to get sick if infected, have milder disease, are unlikely to die from Covid-19, and are probably less infectious than adults.
“Although children are at a higher risk of being infected once at school, this additional risk to themselves and others is outweighed by the benefits of them returning to school.”
Also Read: GUIDE: Tips to Covid-proof your kids for back-to-school
The statement then goes on to detail the evidence that the organisation’s position is based on but does highlight that the supporting evidence is based on the currently available data on the coronavirus. Read more of the statement on @paed_sa
The South African Paediatric Association (SAPA) supports the government’s position that children should return to school on 1 June 2020. Regarding children with chronic conditions and other recommendations, see full statement: https://t.co/XTmPt2Hlqy #strivingforthrivingkids
— South African Paediatric Association (@paed_sa) May 30, 2020
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
