Maintain school operations despite Covid surge
Thailand's Department of Disease Control (DDC) advocates against school closures during the seasonal rise of Covid-19, instead recommending enhanced screening and isolation measures to mitigate virus spread within educational institutions.
In a statement on Wednesday, DDC Spokeswoman Dr. Jurai Wongsawat identified cluster outbreaks in several settings, including six prison outbreaks, five school outbreaks, two military camp outbreaks, and one hospital cluster. However, she maintained that schools should persist in in-person classes, advising intensified student and staff screening, home isolation for positive cases, and immediate notification of health officials in the event of two or more Covid-19 cases within the same classroom within a week [2][5].
While some schools have voluntarily transitioned to online learning out of caution, others remain open with safety protocols in place, as these measures allow for educational continuity [5]. Nonetheless, the rainy season in Thailand could exacerbate respiratory infections, potentially necessitating more stringent measures like school closures to protect students [3].
The DDC attributes the current outbreak in Thailand to the JN.1 variant, which comprises 63% of sequenced cases, but the XEC variant is in decline [2]. Regardless, the Ministry of Public Health advises preventive measures such as mask-wearing, frequent handwashing, and avoiding crowded areas for travelers returning from affected countries [4].
Thailand has reported 211,717 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 51 deaths thus far in 2021, with the infection rate currently standing at 326 cases per 100,000 people and a relatively low fatality rate of 0.08 deaths per 100,000 people [2]. The majority of fatalities—78%—have occurred in elderly patients, primarily due to lung infections [2].
In making their decisions, schools should weigh the benefits of in-person learning with the need for safety precautions. While the DDC recommends relying on proper screening and isolation measures, the final call should take into account the severity of local outbreaks and the efficacy of each institution's preventive measures.
In light of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it is essential for schools to prioritize health-and-wellness by implementing enhanced screening and isolation measures, as suggested by the DDC, to ensure the safety of students and staff. Meanwhile, education-and-self-development can also be pursued through science-backed strategies that promote remote learning, taking into account the specific needs and circumstances of each educational institution.
