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Promoting Factfulness in the Covid-19 pandemic-related policymaking: a map to understanding school closures
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  • Raffaella Nenna,
  • Hana Zeric,
  • Laura Petrarca,
  • Enrica Mancino,
  • Fabio Midulla
Raffaella Nenna
"Sapienza" University of Rome

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Hana Zeric
Sapienza University of Rome
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Laura Petrarca
"Sapienza" University of Rome
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Enrica Mancino
University of Rome
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Fabio Midulla
Sapienza University of Rome
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Abstract

Introduction: In the era of data-driven decision-making, an unacceptable haziness and inconsistency surrounds the yearlong scientific and public debate on the school closure policy in the COVID-19 pandemic mitigation efforts. Aim: The present literature review stems out of the need for a clear scaffold collecting in one place all current evidence, as well as helping organizing incoming future evidence, concerning both the role of schools in driving the Sars-CoV-2 community spread and the cost-effectiveness of school closure in containing such spread. Methods: References for this review were initially identified through searches of PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library for articles published from March, 2020, to March, 2021 by use of the terms “Schools” “COVID-19” “pandemic” “clusters” “outbreak” “seroprevalence”. Further search was undertaken through Google Scholar and ResearchGate, and finally through Google. Results: School closure at times of high background prevalence of COVID-19 should not be considered a measure implemented to protect the health of children. Children had lower secondary attack rates than adults and that they infrequently represented the index case. One year of pandemic has been sufficient for the emergence of one indication of concern: a potentially increased burden of paediatric mental health disorders. Conclusions: A fact-based understanding of what is currently known on such a consequential policy is required to provide a basis of evidence for an advocacy of either school closure or school opening at times of high intensity community transmission of Sars-CoV-2.
31 May 2021Submitted to Pediatric Pulmonology
31 May 2021Submission Checks Completed
31 May 2021Assigned to Editor
01 Jun 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
17 Aug 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
19 Aug 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Major
11 Oct 20211st Revision Received
12 Oct 2021Assigned to Editor
12 Oct 2021Submission Checks Completed
12 Oct 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
27 Oct 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
31 Oct 2021Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
30 Nov 20212nd Revision Received
01 Dec 2021Submission Checks Completed
01 Dec 2021Assigned to Editor
01 Dec 2021Reviewer(s) Assigned
03 Dec 2021Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
07 Dec 2021Editorial Decision: Accept