More than 635 million students continue to be affected by the total or partial closure of schools. As the Covid-19 pandemic approaches the two-year mark, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund – in English (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) – UNICEF, shared the latest available data on the impact of the pandemic on children's learning worldwide.
“In March, we will mark two years of global education disruptions related to Covid-19. In summary, we are facing an almost irreversible loss of schooling for children,” said Robert Jenkins, UNICEF's global education chief. “While it is essential to resume in-person classes, simply reopening schools is not enough. Students need intensive support to recover lost education. Schools must also go beyond places of learning to rebuild children's mental and physical health, social development, and nutrition.”
According to pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist Jessica Polese, the return to classes is a topic that has been widely discussed, and with the advancement of vaccination in children already at the beginning of this year, it is indeed time for children to return to social and educational interactions. “There is a cognitive and behavioral detriment that is a consequence of the pandemic among children and young people,” explains the doctor.
According to UNICEF, a growing body of evidence shows that Covid-19 has caused high rates of anxiety and depression among children and young people, with some studies finding that girls, adolescents, and those living in rural areas are more likely to experience these issues. In light of these factors, the pulmonologist emphasizes the need to vaccinate children and complete the vaccination schedule for adolescents and young people so that they can return safely to schools. “There is no need for alarm due to the presence of new variants of Covid and flu; vaccines are available for proper protection,” she clarifies. “We need to be attentive to this period they spent in remote learning, which greatly affected their learning and routine,” she points out.
Regarding sleep, several studies have shown that sleeping in later improved health indicators for various young people. “We also noticed how many of them lost their proper sleep routine, without outdoor activities, without adequate energy expenditure during the lockdown, which caused anxiety and even depression,” explains Jessica.
Thus, if we have reached a point of a complete vaccination scheme and ongoing research for medication options, among others, we must face the variants and return to a routine, especially since the World Health Organization, in a recent statement, said that “there will be general immunity for a few weeks or months, due to the vaccine and due to people who will become immune due to infection.”
Participe da conversa