Optimising COVID-19 vaccination policy to mitigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission within schools in Zimbabwe
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Date
Authors
Murewanhema, Grant
Mukwenha, Solomon
Dzinamarira, Tafadzwa
Mukandavire, Zindoga
Cuadros, Diego
Madziva, Roda
Chingombe, Innocent
Mapingure, Munyaradzi
Herrera, Helena
Musuka, Godfrey
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDPI
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the learning of millions of children across the
world. Since March 2020 when the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in Zimbabwe, the country,
like many others, has gone through periods of closing and re-opening of schools as part of the
national COVID-19 control and mitigation measures. Schools promote the social, mental, physical,
and moral development of children. With this viewpoint, the authors argue that schools should not be
closed to provide a measured and efficient response to the threats posed by the COVID-19 epidemic.
Rather, infection prevention and control strategies, including vaccination of learners and teachers,
and surveillance in schools should be heightened. The use of multiple prevention strategies discussed
in this viewpoint has shown that when outbreaks in school settings are adequately managed, the
transmission usually is low. The information presented here suggests that schools should remain
open due to the preponderance of evidence indicating the overriding positive impacts of this policy
on the health, development, and wellbeing of children.
Description
Keywords
Vaccination, Schools, Zimbabwe, COVID-19 pandemic, Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Sustainable Development Goals
Citation
Murewanhema, G.;
Mukwenha, S.; Dzinamarira, T.;
Mukandavire, Z.; Cuadros, D.;
Madziva, R.; Chingombe, I.;
Mapingure, M.; Herrera, H.; Musuka,
G. Optimising COVID-19 Vaccination
Policy to Mitigate SARS-CoV-2
Transmission within Schools in
Zimbabwe. Vaccines 2021, 9, 1481.
https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9121481.