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Defying Delta: Back to school goes better than feared
In a dozen countries with high vaccination rates in Asia, Europe and the United States, case rates that surged in August have mostly fallen back, according to local data and officials.
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Schoolgirls attend class in Herat on August 17, 2021, following the Taliban stunning takeover of the country. (AFP/Aref Karimi)
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chool for children in many nations has been underway for more than a month and fears the Delta coronavirus variant would derail in-person learning have largely proven unfounded.
In a dozen countries with high vaccination rates in Asia, Europe and the United States, case rates that surged in August have mostly fallen back, according to local data and officials.
The jury is out on how much this is due to seasonal factors amid a global decline in cases, and how much it is linked to vaccinations and other preventative measures. Public health experts say they will continue to watch for signs of an increase in cases as winter approaches.
“In the United States, in-school transmission is higher in places with low adult vaccination and no mitigation, but, overall, schools have stayed open,” said Monica Gandhi, professor of medicine at University of California San Francisco Medical School. “It is going better than expected.”
Cases among children increased nearly seven fold in August but peaked the week ended Sept. 2, American Academy of Pediatrics data shows. But only about 2 percent of US schools have closed temporarily because of COVID-19 outbreaks, according to research firm Burbio, which tracks school closings.
Children represent the largest swath of the unvaccinated in most wealthy countries, either because shots for their age groups have only just begun or are not yet approved.
August's summer travel-related infections and boost in testing-related cases have faded, public health experts say, and rising vaccinations, mitigation measures in schools and a broader decline in community cases are helping.
