Paediatric groups call for reopening of schools
Two paediatric groups say there's no clear evidence linking the closure of schools to significant reductions in COVID-19 community transmission and overall deaths.
The Paediatrician Management Group and the SA Paediatrician Association are asking government to allow all pupils to return to the classroom.
President Cyril Ramaphosa closed public schools for four weeks, due to concerns from teachers' unions over the coronavirus crisis.
READ: South Africa records 306 COVID-19 related deaths
He said that all Grades would be phased in starting with matrics this week.
"Most people are actually acquiring COVID in their communities," says SA Paediatrician Association's Professor Mignon McCulloch.
"We know that younger children, if they get COVID, they do not get it as severely and their risk of dying is extremely low.
"I think there have been 24 children in the country that have died of COVID compared to eight thousand adults.
"For that reason, we think for the safety of kids, their education, for their mental well-being - we think that school is the best place for them to be."
