COVID-19, school closures, and child poverty: a social crisis in the making

While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to spread across the globe, many countries have decided to close schools as part of a physical distancing policy to slow transmission and ease the burden on health systems. The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization estimates that 138 countries have closed schools nationwide, and several other countries have implemented regional or local closures. These school closures are affecting the education of 80% of children worldwide. Although scientific debate is ongoing with regard to the effectiveness of school closures on virus transmission,1Cohen J Kupferschmidt K Countries test tactics in ‘war’ against COVID-19.Science. 2020; 367: 1287-1288Crossref…