For those eager to rush students back to school this fall, a lesson from Israel, where some health ministry officials are blaming a new wave of coronavirus cases on the decision to reopen schools in May. Authorities have closed down sections of the economy again because of the spike. The Wall Street Journal writes:
“The surge followed outbreaks in schools that by Monday had infected 1,335 students and 691 staff since schools reopened in early May, according to the education ministry.”
According to the Journal, Israel now has around 1500 cases a day, up from about 50 a day just two months ago.
Israel opened its schools on May 17 and soon after a spike in cases was reported among the country’s youth that “soon spread to the general population.”
The Daily Beast reports: “On Sunday, for instance, U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday, “There’s nothing in the data that suggests that kids being in school is in any way dangerous.”
The country has been in lockdown for months. The day school opened, 10 cases were reported in Israel.
Of the 1400 Israelis diagnosed with coronavirus in July, 47% were infected in schools.