Month: June 2020
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Schools in the Netherlands are reopening, and children do not have to maintain social distance
This May article published by Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland reports that when schools reopen in the country, children up to 17 years do not need to maintain social distance at school. This decision comes as the Dutch National Institute for Public Health has discovered that less than 1% of COVID-19 patients in the country and around the world…
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The hidden danger of lockdowns: Indoor air pollution
As lockdowns were imposed in countries around the world, news of improved environmental conditions started flooding social media feeds. In the the US, air pollution was reported to have dropped by 30%. Meanwhile, levels of carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds inside homes increased by 15 to 30%. In this article for Scientific American, Emily Anthes…
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Separating science from politics and fear-mongering
In this commentary article for CNS News, Jeffrey Mc Call, professor of communication at DePauw University talks about how science has been misused both in public policy and media reporting on COVID-19. McCall says that science was heralded as the source of the decision for lockdowns, but leaders have failed to consider the sociopolitical, cultural, and…
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Philippine doctors weigh in on the educational situation of children and adolescents
The following is a copy of the statement of 11 medical professionals on school closures due to the coronavirus and its impact on children and adolescents. It also offers 12 recommendations on how schools can be reopened safely, with little to no risk among children and adolescent learners. Editor’s Note: Experts from various countries have reiterated…
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Statement on the Education Situation of Children and Adolescents
4 June 2020 – Many countries around the world closed schools due to the current SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) pandemic. This was a logical response in the early days of the epidemic when there was a lack of data and many unknown variables concerning Covid-19. After the ensuing months of data collection and scientific evidence and analysis…
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DepEd postpones face-to-face classes until COVID-19 vaccine is available
In response to the June 5 taped address of Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, education secretary Leonor Briones released a statement today, June 8, 2020, confirming the postponement of face-to-face classes until a vaccine is available. Preparations for blended learning are currently underway and classes are still scheduled to start on August 24, 2020. As of…
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There is no evidence to support second wave of the coronavirus
In this article for The Telegraph, virologist Hugh Pennington says that there is no evidence that can support the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus cases. He says that the notion emerged due to the Spanish flu, the Asian flu, and the swine flu, but the coronavirus is very different. Pennington adds that coronavirus occurs…
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Lessons from the countries that brought their coronavirus cases to almost zero
The following article written by Jason Beaubien for NPR attempts to harness the lessons for controlling the coronavirus outbreak from the countries that succeeded in doing so. Some of the countries identified in this article include New Zealand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam. What were the common factors that led to these countries’ success? Here…
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Norwegian health chief: The lockdown was not necessary to control COVID-19
In this article for The Spectator, author Fraser Nelson reports on the latest publication of the Norwegian public health authority. According to the report, the coronavirus was never spreading as fast as was projected by the Imperial College London, and it was in fact, on the way out when the lockdown was implemented in the country…
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Science says it’s time to open schools
In this article for The Hill, Dr. Scott Atlas tackles the important issue of school reopening and the unhealthy health standards being imposed on children. Dr. Atlas reminds us of the absurdity of locking down schools due to COVID-19 when influenza takes the life of more children annually. Moreover, he says that children are rarely carriers…
