What we know about the spread of Covid among children “” and whether shutting schools reduces the risk

What we know about the spread of Covid among children “” and whether shutting schools reduces the risk

An unused classroom at Karl Marx secondary school in Saxony-Anhalt, Gardelegen, in Germany. Due to the still comparatively tense Covid-19 situation, stricter rules apply in Saxony-Anhalt as well as nationwide. Schools are to remain in emergency operation until at least the end of January.Klaus-Dietmar Gabbert | picture alliance | Getty ImagesLONDON — The science around the link between children and the spread of the coronavirus is still evolving, but a growing body of evidence seems to suggest that kids attending school do play an important role in community transmission.It comes at a time when the resurgent spread of Covid-19 has prompted most of Europe to adopt the strictest level of public health measures, with many countries in the region shutting schools as part of a broader plan to curb infection rates and alleviate the strain on already stressed health facilities.The polarizing issue of whether schools should stay open is far from clear cut, with the World Health Organization urging policymakers to be guided by a risk-based approach to maximize the benefit for the population.School closures have a clear negative impact on children's health, the United Nations health agency has warned, citing setbacks to children's education and development, family income and