Should we still worry about COVID-19 as we return to the classroom?

2024-08-21 10:40:40

Ever since the COVID-19 health crisis plunged Quebec (like the rest of the world) into severe restrictions, the start of the new school year has been fraught with worry and uncertainty. Experts say that despite an increase in cases this summer, there is no reason to be overly concerned.

However, we must continue to practice good behavior, especially keeping sick children home.

Benoit Barbeau, a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Quebec and an expert in virology, explained that cases of COVID-19 infection are inevitable in classrooms because children are in close proximity to each other. “Whether it’s the COVID-19 virus or the flu virus, ideally, parents should keep their children [malade] At home, he is prevented from going to school because it is not the best learning conditions anyway,” he said.

Among other important measures, Mr. Barber cited classroom ventilation, which has led to large amounts of ink spilling during the pandemic. “We try to maintain some airflow as much as possible to ensure air circulation. We want schools to have good ventilation,” he said.

The number of positive COVID-19 cases has climbed relatively steadily this summer and continues to rise. Data from the Quebec government for the week of August 11 to 17 showed that there were nearly 2,500 new cases, of which 1,217 were hospitalized.

“To be sure, when the school year comes, we will be closely monitoring this virus and other viruses, but this virus is especially relevant to what we have experienced in recent years. We want to make sure that even before the school year begins, we are fully informed situation and the current situation,” Mr. Barbeau said.

“Provincial and federal governments have a responsibility to communicate good practices to the population and ensure that we are able to maintain some control over the spread of this virus even as it increases,” the professor added.

He pointed out that the KP.1, KP.2 and KP.3 sub-variants are currently very common and more transmissible, leading to an increase in infection cases.

These subvariants, such as the oldest BA.1, BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5, are derived from Omicron variants. “The good thing about Omicron’s sudden and very significant prevalence is that its symptoms are generally less severe than previous variants. Just before, we saw the Delta variant rising and starting to grow in terms of infection cases, but in terms of symptoms It’s more important,” explained Mr. Barbeau.

Don’t worry about the current situation

Although the symptoms of Omicron-derived subvariants are less severe than those of the Delta variant, it cannot be ruled out that they mutate into more aggressive viruses. “What is certain is that we can eventually reach a [variant] A little more dangerous, with more severe symptoms,” Mr Gbagbo warned.

However, he believes the sub-variant currently circulating in Quebec is “not too serious in terms of the risk of hospitalized cases.” He also recalled that children often experience mild symptoms of COVID-19. There have been few hospitalizations of children and very few deaths.

The virology expert does not expect COVID-19 to have as big an impact on the education system in the near future as it did in the previous school year. “I believe that if the situation gets out of hand, closing schools is really the last resort and the only way to reduce the spread,” he said.

Mr. Barbeau believes the worst is over since the Omicron wave that hit Quebec in late 2021 and early 2022. […] Suddenly we caught up with people who weren’t there [infectés]. This is a peak and I would be surprised if we experience the same thing in the next few years or even decades, but you never know. »

other viruses

There are many types of respiratory viruses, such as other coronaviruses, rhinoviruses, and adenoviruses. These are all causes of the common cold. We must also be alert to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which is more dangerous to young children and the elderly.

But there’s a peculiarity about COVID-19: The virus is spreading at all times, although it’s more active in the fall and winter. The fact that it spreads year-round means it adapts depending on who it infects. “Through the many variants that arise, there is always a way to find a winning combination that is more prevalent. This is what we have seen since the increase in hospitalizations at the end of May,” Mr. Barbeau explained.

Influenza, which appears in the fall and lasts into late winter, can also result in large numbers of hospitalizations.

You never know how strong a flu virus will be; depending on the year, some strains are more aggressive than others. “Our vaccines have been very effective in recent years,” commented Mr. Gbagbo.

Each year, flu vaccines are produced based on projections from the World Health Organization, which attempts to predict which flu strains will dominate the next season.

For COVID-19 vaccinations, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that only vaccines containing the latest selected strains of the virus be used in the fall of 2024.

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The Canadian Press’ health content is funded through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial choices.

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