President Emmanuel Macron announced in a recent address that schools would reopen on May 11, 2020. However, Patrick Bouet, President of the Council of the National Order of Physicians, argues there is no supporting medical evidence for this move.
As confinement eases on May 11, will schools truly resume operations? President Macron first shared this plan on April 13 during a national broadcast. His rationale: to prevent widening educational gaps caused by prolonged closures and avoid exacerbating inequalities among students.
While this educational concern is valid, prioritizing school deconfinement lacks any medical grounding. This is the view of Patrick Bouet, as detailed in a Le Figaro article published on April 15, 2020.
Schools, colleges, high schools, and universities were among the first institutions to shut down, even before full confinement measures. Two key factors drove this: children often carry the virus asymptomatically, acting as hidden transmitters, and implementing barrier measures like distancing and hygiene proves exceptionally challenging in these settings.
Bouet describes reopening on May 11 as "an absolute lack of logic," warning it would restart virus circulation and pose serious risks. He advocates instead for thorough preparations for the September school year to ensure a safer return.
Children and young people account for a tiny fraction of severe cases. Public Health France data from April 7, 2020, shows 110 under-15s among 29,721 hospitalized patients, with 32 in intensive care out of 7,059. Serious illness and fatalities remain rare in this group. Notably, children test positive twice as often as adults, though symptoms, when present, are typically milder.
Concerns persist over asymptomatic spread. A new study, Coville, launched April 14, examines this in 600 children seen in Ile-de-France pediatric clinics. It divides participants into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, using PCR and serological tests to identify positives. Results, expected in one to two months, could clarify transmission risks and inform school reopening decisions.
