HEALTH and political leaders in Scotland have not forced schools to close their doors – in a bid to curb coronavirus being spread unknowingly throughout communities.
In other countries, such as Ireland, schools have been locked down while public spaces have also been shut.
But Scottish health leaders have indicated that any blanket closure of schools would need to be in place for “very many weeks to months” to be effective and that we would be looking at “a minimum of three months in order to really suppress the spread of the virus”.
The decision whether or not to enfore school closures is reviewed by Scottish officials on an ongoing basis.
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There is also a potential risk that schoolpupils, without suffering any symptoms, could be unknowingly spreading the virus to others in vulnerable groups.
Scotland’s chief medical officer, Catherine Calderwood, added: “The thought that children will not mix together for three months is impossible.
“We therefore risk having children congregating in other areas together - the virus is spread amongst them. You actually have measures put in which are ineffective in keeping the virus from those groups of children.”
Dr Calderwood also stressed that closing all schools for a significant period of time could have implications on NHS staff and other key workers.
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She added: “We would be having very significant numbers of not just healthcare workers, but police, the people that run the nuclear industry, they have children who are going to have the impact of childcare on key workers who are keeping the country running if children need to be looked after elsewhere.
“To talk about closing the schools for two weeks, it’s very, very, clear from the science that that is not a scientific way to either prevent the spread of this virus not indeed to protect vulnerable people. It’s that length of time that is key.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus in Scotland: All Scottish schools could close from end of Easter break
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