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Closing schools is not evidence based and harms children

BMJ 2021; 372 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n521 (Published 23 February 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;372:n521

Linked Editorial

Covid-19: Keeping schools as safe as possible

Linked Opinion

School closures have had a huge impact on children’s futures

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  1. Sarah J Lewis, professor of molecular epidemiology1,
  2. Alasdair P S Munro, senior clinical research fellow paediatric infectious diseases2 ,
  3. George Davey Smith, professor of clinical epidemiology1 ,
  4. Allyson M Pollock, professor of public health3
  1. 1MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
  2. 2NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility and Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
  3. 3Institute of Population Health Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
  4. Correspondence to: S J Lewis S.J.Lewis@bristol.ac.uk

Keeping schools open should be the UK’s top priority

Some 8.8 million schoolchildren in the UK have experienced severe disruption to their education, with prolonged school closures and national exams cancelled for two consecutive years. School closures have been implemented internationally1 with insufficient evidence for their role in minimising covid-19 transmission and insufficient consideration of the harms to children.

For some children education is their only way out of poverty; for others school offers a safe haven away from a dangerous or chaotic home life. Learning loss,2 reduced social interaction, isolation, reduced physical activity,3 increased mental health problems,34 and potential for increased abuse, exploitation, and neglect5 have all been associated with school closures. Reduced future income6 and life expectancy7 are associated with less education. Children with special educational needs or who are already disadvantaged are at increased risk of harm.3 The 2019 report of the children’s commissioner for England8 estimated that 2.3 million children in England were living in unsafe home environments with domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse, or severe mental problems …

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