Reopening schools will lead to an increase in COVID-19 cases, the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI) has stated.

In a release received by The Jakarta Post on Wednesday, IDAI chairman Aman B. Pulungan pointed out that even developed countries had reported a rise in infections after allowing on-campus learning to resume, such as South Korea, France and the United States.

“Delaying the plan to reopen schools could reduce [COVID-19] transmission. Every person in and around school premises, including teachers, staff and the public share the same risks of getting infected and infecting others,” Aman said.

IDAI has also received reports of increasing stress levels among children throughout the pandemic. This was caused by early marriage, increasing rates of domestic violence, students dropping out due to economic reasons, as well as other issues that could threaten children’s health and welfare.

To overcome these issues, IDAI said more effort must be made by all relevant stakeholders to provide a working solution.

IDAI also underlined the importance of educating children to boost their understanding of what it means to follow health protocols. Parents and guardians should introduce the correct way to wear a face mask at an early age, and be patient if their children have trouble following their instructions, the group said.

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