Dear Evelyn and all
"Hajime when you say cluster of 26 children and 8 teachers, so, did the school close for 14 days for everyone and how were the contacts (other children, parents, teachers, school-workers) followed-up (?)"
The first case was detected PCR positive on the 9th of July.
The preschool (child day-care) decided to close on the 10th.
The preschool closed until the 22nd of July.
The basis is the last school-open day was the 9th and the closing is for 14
days.
From the official information of the local government's homepage, all family members of children and staff were checked PCR tests. But I cannot find the result of them. The local government's announced after this cluster was this: "We would like to inform residents that we have decided to extend the request of stay-at-home" period to August 31st."
The request does not enforce to do so. But it is very difficult for working parents to leave their children at preschools.
I could not gather the information directly. But there are similar clusters in Japan. All cases are asymptomatic or mild cases. I don't agree with the automatic all school closures. However, once a cluster occurs, it is necessary.
Kind regards,
Hajime
CHIFA profile: CHIFA Profile: Hajime Takeuchi is a professor at the Bukkyo University in Japan. Professional interests: child health, child poverty, child wellbeing. He is a CHIFA Country Representative for Japan and a member of the CHIFA Steering Group (child health and rights) http://www.hifa.org/support/members/hajime Email: takechanespid AT gmail.com
