‘It is not a good idea to open schools when there are so many COVID-19 cases’

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According to the school-year calendar released by the Ministry of National Education, schools will reopen across Turkey in three weeks. However, the increase in the number of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases has sparked a debate on whether it is a good idea to reopen schools.

While Minister of National Education Ziya Selçuk says that they are prepared for any possible scenario, parents and teachers are worried.

But what do physicians think about it?

Health Ministry's Science Board Member Prof. Serap Şimşek Yavuz and Turkish Medical Association (TTB) COVID-19 Monitoring Committee Member Assoc. Prof. Cavit Işık Yavuz have spoken to bianet. They have stressed that reopening the schools will lead to a further increase in cases:

'It wouldn't be rational to reopen the schools'

Serap Şimşek Yavuz: "We have recently witnessed quite crowded scenes in İstanbul and other places. That is why, there will be a higher risk of getting infected. There is serious complacency among the young.

"As far as I observe, people over a certain age are trying to observe the rules, but the young do not pay heed. For that reason, I do not think that it would be reasonable to open the schools.

"Education is very important, opening the schools must be prioritized, but we need to talk about the conditions when schools can be opened. I also want the schools to reopen as a parent, but if we open the schools when there are so many patients, I do not think that it will be a good thing to do.

'It must be done when the outbreak is under control'

"When the outbreak is taken under control, schools must be opened first. Preventing children from lagging behind in their education is as important as their health, it is also harmful for them when they stay home.

"Children's lagging behind in their education will have very serious consequences. So, decisions need to be taken and implemented jointly.

"Reopening the schools is not a decision to be taken by the Minister of National Education, Minister of Health or the Science Board on their own. Because education is not unidimensional, it is an area with so many consequences. So, a decision needs to be made together with all shareholders such as parents, children and unions. Pros and cons need to be discussed and the right decision must be made.

'Outbreak has rekindled in some countries'

"Moreover, opening schools in provinces where the infection is quickly spreading could affect outbreak management quite negatively. Outbreak seems to rekindle in some countries where the schools have opened, we need to be really careful. The provinces where the number of cases has been increasing needs to be especially taken into consideration.

"Everyone has to take responsibility, distance-mask rule is indeed very important. We have to introduce and implement measures that will lead the young to change their behavior as well."

'The first wave is not yet under control'

Cavit Işık Yavuz: "Turkey has not yet taken the first wave under control. The 'opening' put into effect on June 1 is a major factor leading to the number of cases today. The information that we get from our colleagues in the field shows that as well. Summer was not a quiet season for us. 

"So, the number of cases will increase further when schools are opened. It is what has happened in the countries which have opened their schools.

"It is also seen in the report of the Ministry of Health, there is a huge increase, especially in 9 provinces in the Southeast Anatolian Region. The increase there is much higher than İstanbul.

"For that reason, the date and conditions to open the schools need to be determined based on local situations. It might not be right to open all schools across Turkey. They can be opened on a regional basis.

'Mobility will increase, so will the infection'

"The Ministry of Health has to make a statement which is based on data and satisfying for the public. A serious work needs to be done about it.

"As opening the schools will lead to social mobility, infection will also increase, which will pose quite a serious risk.

"Europe measures the incidence (the number of new cases of a certain disease among a certain population in a certain period of time) as one case per 100 thousand people. When we look at the weekly data of Turkey's Health Ministry, we see that there are eight cases per 100 thousand people.

"Moreover, we also see quite a number of cases among the young. We cannot say that young people are not in the risk group. We are approaching a more critical period with the upcoming autumn season. The number of cases will increase even more. But the parents need to stay calm. They need to relieve children's anxieties." (RT/SD)