Do School Closures Help in a Pandemic?

What is the impact of closing schools long-term during flu pandemics? A recent analysis looked at evidence from earlier epidemics and pandemics around the world. The authors conclude that early and prolonged school closings can ease the burden on hospitals by reducing the number of cases at the peak of a pandemic. Overall, however, school closings are unlikely to have a significant effect on the total number of cases in a pandemic. Further, long-term school closings are associated with high social and economical costs, and may interfere with delivery of health care and other key services. The full article will appear in the August edition of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.