French Pediatric Societies Call for School to Stay Open amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic

With the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in February 2020, the majority of European countries experienced 2 national lockdowns, which involved school closing, imposed by governments to control spread of the virus. In September 2020, on the reopening of the schools after the first lockdown, serious concerns were raised in Europe by scientific societies and governments on the possible role of schools in facilitating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) circulation in the population. In response, European countries produced technical documents and guidelines on COVID-19, which included guidance for a safe reopening of schools and children's educational services. Different preventive strategies were adopted by European governments to control suspected and confirmed cases of infection in the school environment.1 , 2 In February 2021, based on available epidemiologic data, public authorities in Europe considered establishment of a third general lockdown of the population, as a preventive measure to combat a resurgence of the infection, mainly caused by variants of the original virus.3 An extended school closing was also considered by many European countries as a part of their third lockdown strategy. The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control reported that during 2020 in the European Union countries and the United Kingdom, <5% of COVID-19 cases involved subjects under the age of 18 years and concluded that the role of children in viral transmission and its impact in epidemic expansion remains unclear.4 , 5 A systematic review on school closures for COVID-19 control found no conclusive evidence for a convincing effect of this measure in reducing viral transmission at population level.6 The evidence available to date suggests that children are more likely to contract COVID-19 from infected family members rather than from other children in school settings.2 , 6 , 7 The aim of this commentary, authored by major French pediatric societies, in collaboration with the European Paediatric Association and other European pediatric centers, is to bring awareness to the importance of European children's health and well-being and to recommend keeping schools and other educational facilities open amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Child health is a state of physical, mental, intellectual, social, and emotional well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.8 , 9 Prolonged school closing exposes children to serious mental and social distress, possibly leading to serious long-term effects later in life. These consolidated notions prompted the authors to emphasize that indiscriminate school closing policies established by European countries during the COVID-19 pandemic is a questionable preventive measure not supported by sufficient evidence