Education

COVID: Brazil research foundation stresses role of in-person classes

Vaccination now covers 85.5% of the eligible population aged above 5

Tatiana Alves

Published on 27/06/2022 - 13:58

Rio de Janeiro

Criança levanta a mão ao lado de outros alunos em sala de aula da escola Thomaz Rodrigues Alckmin, no primeiro dia de retorno das escolas do estado de São Paulo para atividades extracurriculares em meio ao surto de coronavírus (COVID-19) em São — © REUTERS / Amanda Perobelli/direitos reservados

Brazil’s research foundation Fiocruz released a technical note restating the importance of in-person classes, with the isolation of positive cases and people with respiratory symptoms.

Tests for COVID-19 must be available in schools, with priority given to booster doses for education professionals, the note says.

The statement points out that detecting positive cases in schools does not necessarily mean transmission took place there. Most cases are said to be taken to the school environment from outside.

Researchers recommend that protective measures be adopted in all school environments, especially those aimed at lowering transmission among workers.

In the current epidemiological landscape, the note goes on to read, interruptions in school activities are no longer advised.

The document says that on June 21, 77.8 percent of Brazilians had a complete vaccination cycle, with 85.5 percent among the eligible population over five years old. However, only 46 percent of the total population had all booster doses.