With the reopening of schools, a large-scale vaccination campaign against COVID-19 has begun, leading to a decrease in infection rates worldwide. Many countries have decided to allow schools to reopen, but very gradually, starting with tenth and twelfth-grade students before applying this to lower grades.
It is crucial to take necessary precautions against the virus seriously, as the case numbers may have decreased, but the virus still exists. We must implement all possible measures to limit its spread. Children are among the most vulnerable groups to COVID-19 due to their weak immunity. Therefore, additional precautions must be taken by school authorities, teachers, parents, and the students themselves to protect themselves from the virus. They should be taught basic prevention methods such as social distancing, wearing protective masks, and practicing hand hygiene, establishing these as new standards of living.
Experts suggest that schools should follow these guidelines while allowing reopening amid the ongoing global pandemic:
1. **Remote Learning Model**: A hybrid model that combines remote learning and traditional in-person education, limiting the number of students in school at one time to facilitate effective social distancing.
2. **Sanitize Schools**: Ensure that school buildings are clean and sanitary by regularly disinfecting surfaces, desks, books, and chairs.
3. **Promote Handwashing**: Encourage a culture of regular and thorough handwashing by placing hand sanitizer dispensers in many visible locations within the school.
4. **Teach Respiratory Hygiene**: Educate children on the essence and importance of respiratory hygiene and the use of face masks to cover the mouth and nose.
5. **Limit Social Gatherings**: Reduce the number of social events and gatherings, even in student cafeterias, and prohibit sharing food.
6. **Mandatory Temperature Checks**: Implement mandatory thermal screenings, preventing anyone showing even minor COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever and cough, from entering the building, and recommend immediate self-isolation.
