Should schools reopen in Turkey amid COVID-19 outbreak?

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Hello, I am Liyan Demirel. Today, we will ask the following questions to parents: "Will you send your children to school when there is novel coronavirus (COVID-19)?", "Do you think schools are safe when there is COVID-19?", What kind of precautions will you take if you send your children to school?" First, let me tell you a few things in my own words.

I feel like children should stay at home and continue getting distance education because there is COVID-19. If you think the same, then we are of the same opinion. If you ask yourself, "Why do I think like that," it is because children go out into the garden at school.

If your child stays inside the school too much, she will get bored, take off her mask and can herself get sick if there is COVID-19 in her school!

But, let's say schools have been reopened, you can try to follow the recommendations that I will list below:

• Have a spare mask
• Use disinfectants
• Have eau de cologne with you
• Have a tiny special soap
• Have a lunch box (with the healthiest possible food, please)
• Clean your notebooks everyday
• Clean your coursebooks everyday
• Have baby wipes.

Now, to find answers to our questions, we will speak with Göknil Akdağ, whose child will be a second grader this year; a parent who does not want to give his name; Loran, whose two children will go to school; and Neşe Açarı, whose 12-year-old daughter will go to the 7th grade this year.

Liyan: Will you send your children to school when there is COVID-19?

Göknil Akdağ: I don't think I will unless attendance is mandatory.

Parent: No, I won't.

Loran: We will see. If there is less disease, we can perhaps send them. But, if not, we will not send them to school.

Neşe Açarı: No, I won't.

Liyan: Do you think that schools are safe when there is COVID-19?

Göknil Akdağ: No, I don't.

Parent: I don't think they are safe.

Loran: No, I don't think they are safe.

Neşe Açarı: Public schools are not safe. As children study for a fee in private schools, they have perhaps taken measures.

Liyan: What kind of measures will you take if you decide to send your children to school?

Göknil Akdağ: I don't think that the measures recommended by me will be enough. The ones taken at schools are much more important.

Parent: The best measure is to not send children to school at all. I will take her temperature at home and I will warn her to be careful. But it is still the best if she doesn't go.

Loran: They need to wear a mask. They need to wear gloves. We will give them eau de cologne. We will warn them to keep their distance from other kids and to not touch their stuff.

Neşe Açarı: As I will not send them, I have not thought about what measures to take. If the state forces parents to send their children school, then it has to have them vaccinated. Against both influenza and pneumonia... I will give extra stuff for hygiene. I will look at the order. How many people are there at the same time? Are necessary measures taken in shared spaces? 

I hope that COVID-19 will be over. Have a good day. With lots of love. (LD/NÖ/SD)

About Liyan Demirel

7-year-old second grader. She is fond of cats and likes reading and writing.