Modelling safe protocols for reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic in France.

ABSTRACT: As countries in Europe implement strategies to control the COVID-19 pandemic, different options are chosen regarding schools. Through a stochastic age-structured transmission model calibrated to the observed epidemic in Île-de-France in the first wave, we explored scenarios of partial, progressive, or full school reopening. Given the uncertainty on children's role, we found that reopening schools after lockdown may increase COVID-19 cases, yet protocols exist to keep the epidemic controlled. Under a scenario with stable epidemic activity if schools were closed, reopening pre-schools and primary schools would lead to up to 76% [67, 84]% occupation of ICU beds if no other school level reopened, or if middle and high schools reopened later. Immediately reopening all school levels may overwhel

SUBMITTER: Di Domenico L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7887250 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature