Many parents, teachers and specialists are looking forward to the start of school after the summer vacations with concern: Despite recommendations from the federal government to test regularly, there are no uniform corona protection concepts in Swiss schools. Only a few cantons, such as Graubünden and Bern, adhere to the recommendation of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH).

And this is despite the fact that at the moment the risk of Corona infection from people returning from vacation is particularly high: "We have the more contagious Delta variant. And many are returning from vacation, which increases the risk of infection in Switzerland," says Federal Councilor Alain Berset in an interview with the "SonntagsZeitung". The children and young people who meet at school could accelerate the spread. Neuroscientist Dominique de Quervain points to the issue as "not unproblematic".

Other European countries, meanwhile, are going much further to protect schoolchildren from infection as far as possible. Austria, for example, is equipping schoolrooms with air filters, testing students three times a week, and implementing a corona early warning system using wastewater analysis. Air filters are also used in many German cities - for example in Frankfurt, Bonn, Berlin and Thuringia. In German states such as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, CO2 devices are to be used. In many places, mandatory masks are being retained or reintroduced.

Long covid or inflammatory response PIMS possible in children.

The lack of appropriate precautions in Switzerland is "alarming," says Maja Strasser, a specialist in neurology. "If the measures are lifted, an estimated 1.2 million children will not be vaccinated. Sooner or later, these will be infected." Since various studies have shown that children can also contract Long Covid, that's a big problem, she says. What's more: In rare cases, COVID-19 disease leads to the inflammatory syndrome PIMS (pediatric multisystemic inflammatory syndrome), he said. This results in an overreaction of the immune system, and children suffer from high fever, abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhea. "Seventy percent of cases have to be hospitalized in intensive care, and circulatory failure is common," Strasser says.

According to various studies and task force statements, tens of thousands of children nationwide could develop Long Covid and several hundred could develop PIMS, Strasser says. "With both Long Covid and PIMS, it is completely unclear whether there are long-term consequences. It can't be that an entire generation of children is being contaminated." Strasser calls for widespread PCR testing and air quality control and improvement with CO2 meters and air filters. "If the number of cases is higher, masks should be declared mandatory in all grades, and activities that promote infection, such as gymnastics and singing, should then be abandoned again."

Hospital overloads because of delta?

The association "Education But Safe" is also calling for air quality in classrooms to be monitored throughout Switzerland. In the event of an increase in infections, school closures should also be considered: "In the past, it was shown that school closures had a positive influence on the pandemic," says association spokesman Rui Biagini. Finally, he says, it is extremely important that chains of infection are broken as early as possible. "Even in children who are not spared from the virus."

Alessandro Diana, pediatrician and infectiologist, also advocates good ventilation: "The risk of infection is 20 times greater indoors than outdoors." CO2 meters could be useful in this regard. "They measure CO2 levels in the air and can give an alert when to ventilate."

The potential new hospital overload due to the highly contagious delta variant is worrisome, Diana says: "Children will do their part to spread the virus. How high that will be is difficult to estimate." However, she says that because Long Covid and PIMS are rare in children, panic is misplaced.

Further protective measures «unnecessary »

At the political level, for example, GLP National Councilor Martin Bäumle is pushing for stronger protection concepts in schools. He calls for pooling tests at all schools - for both vaccinated and unvaccinated students and teachers. "In this way, foci could be detected early and quickly nipped in the bud." He hopes peer pressure will get everyone involved. "The alternative could be at higher incidence: Those who don't get tested could be sent to distance learning." CO2 measuring devices, air filters or even structural measures should also be considered, according to Bäumle.

SVP National Councilor Martin Haab, on the other hand, considers further protective measures unnecessary. "We are on the right track." According to his findings, young people and children only fell ill with Corona in very rare cases. School operations should now be able to continue as normal, Haab said. "Besides, many students are mask-weary and struggling with mental health issues." Instead of introducing further measures, they should be lifted across the board.

«Children return from vacations in the most diverse places»

The umbrella organization of teachers (LCH) and the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education EDK consider systematic testing to be an important measure in the entire package of measures. "After the vacations, these tests will be particularly important, as many children return to the classroom from vacation in a wide variety of places," said an LCH spokeswoman. Air measurements and good room ventilation remain relevant.

According to the current legal situation, the cantons are responsible for the protection and testing concepts, says Stefan Kunfermann from the EDK General Secretariat. "Based on the epidemiological situation, they decide which measures to order and when."

Source: 20 Minuten, published on 09.08.2021