Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1440009
2 maltatoday EXECUTIVE EDITOR Matthew Vella mvella@mediatoday.com.mt Letters to the Editor, MaltaToday, Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann SGN 9016 E-mail: dailynews@mediatoday.com.mt Letters must be concise, no pen names accepted, include full name and address maltatoday | SUNDAY • 2 JANUARY 2022 Schools: a key concern Editorial THE Omicron spread has had immense significance for COVID epidemiology beyond the immediate im- pact on public health. Herd immunity was once hailed as a key concept behind COVID control strategies. The underlying assumptions were that the population can gain sufficient levels of immunity through either vac- cination or past infection to stop the virus from spreading. But the Omicron emergence and rapid global spread has clearly shown that, for such an organ- ism, herd immunity is not possible in the long run. New variants will probably continue to arise and repeated vaccinations and continuation of control measures will be needed to counter these future threats. This is the kind of reality we have now grown accustomed to: vaccination and booster, and the advent of a new variant. Thankfully, the virus can- not improve indefinitely: the virus will eventual- ly evolve a spike protein that binds to the ACE2 receptors on the surface of our cells. According to a McKinsey report, Omicron is about 25% more infectious, evades prior immunity to a greater de- gree, but causes less severe disease, all relative to Delta. In the United States, this combination of characteristics would lead to Omicron replacing Delta as the dominant variant. Omicron will not be the final variant, but it may be the final variant of concern. And it is very possi- ble that we could have a COVID season each win- ter in the same way we have flu season now. This reality serves as the backdrop to remind decision-makers that there can be no underes- timation of the value of physical schooling. For children within primary and secondary school set- tings, physical contact and an ability to explore the limits of their imaginations and intellectual facul- ties, are necessary for them to have a satisfactory experience and improved learning outcomes. In the last 18 months Maltese children have had interrupted face-to-face education, a portion hav- ing to grapple with online teaching. Though online teaching has served its purpose, nothing beats the experience of interaction at school, and the value of learning from first-hand experience is crucial in the formation of our children. Those attending schools have had to spend long hours in masks, even during sports and recreation, and operating in bubbles. Children have paid the price. They spend days wearing a face mask just to be able to be in school. Face masks are one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. An investigation into school outbreaks, supported by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), found that schools without an indoor mask requirement were 3.5 times more likely to have an outbreak than schools in which students and staff did have to wear masks. This is why the universal indoor masking is advo- cated for all children aged two and older, as well as teachers and visitors to schools, regardless of whether they're vaccinated. The rest the country has continued to operate within an understanding that vaccination, sanitisa- tion, social distancing and the use of mask is oblig- atory. On the other hand, catering establishments have enjoyed a 'boom' with patrons eating without masks and in close proximity – even though it is clear that social bubbles have long been burst and COVID transmission continues unabated, even with the serenity that vaccination brings. There have been few complaints about this. We cannot therefore apply any different yard- stick to children in schools. Certainly enough, it is now standard wisdom that it has been hard to see transmission in schools, be- cause children generally have mild symptoms. But this leads to infections going undetected. It surely opens up a debate on whether vaccination against COVID should be mandatory for children, just like Polio, Diphteria and Tetanus vaccinations are made obligatory for children. High levels of transmission in children would lead to mass educational disruption. Children can eas- ily transmit the coronavirus to other children and to adults, and this would lead to parents and oth- ers in the wider community getting sick, including some vaccinated people. To keep breakthrough in- fections to a minimum, community transmission must be kept low. Education Minister Clifton Grima has a massive challenge, as he takes to the education agenda to the end of this legislature, which since the depar- ture of Evarist Bartolo from the role has seen three different ministers. Labour's legacy in education has to be defined by outcomes of success: in 2020, the share of youths not in employment, education or training (NEET) stood at 9.3%, below the EU 27 average of 11.1 per cent. Encouraging youths to stay in education by offering various learning pathways, will be key to their future security in a world of changing demands for skills and capabil- ities. 2 January 2012 Debono opts for truce, but warns 2012 will have to be 'year of reforms' AMID speculation on a PN proposal to see Franco Debono 'appointed' parliamentary sec- retary for justice, the maverick MP says that he never imposed any deadlines on the Prime Minister to split the Justice and Home Affairs Ministry and will wait for implementation. Nationalist backbencher Franco Debono has accepted to grant Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi more time to implement his "promised" split of the ministry for justice and home af- fairs, but expects no more time to be wasted. Speaking from Rome while on a short Christmas break, Debono made it clear that he never gave any ultimatum to the Prime Min- ister. "It was he who said that the ministerial split will happen before the end of the year," he said, adding that the way things evolved in the media, with a section of it creating a countdown to the last day of the year was "ab- surd". Audibly calm but also anxious, Franco Debono said that it would be petty and irra- tional of him to impose deadlines on the Prime Minister. "Would it make a difference if the PM implements this important split in the ministry on December 18 when parliament is reconvened, rather than on December 31?" he asked. He denied being offered the post of par- liamentary secretary for justice or to having been contacted by the Prime Minister between Thursday and Friday while he was in Rome. … Calls to the Office of the Prime Minister's head of secretariat, to comment on the alleged proposal for Debono – a parliamentary assis- tant to Gonzi – went unanswered. But returning to core issues Debono is in- sisting upon, he is at least satisfied with the commitment, even though it comes after a severe bout of procrastination. "The issue here is that we are already late on this, but at least there is a commitment by the Prime Minister to make such an important change, while there is an almost unanimous consensus that splitting the justice and home affairs ministry is a good thing that strength- ens our democracy," he argued. ... Quote of the Week "It is shameful that we still have such racism among us. And it's even more shameful for us to huge behind a keyboard to make comments that are clearly of a criminal nature." Inclusion Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli on Facebook commenters after a Somali national went missing and eventually died due to injuries incurred by a work accident MaltaToday 10 years ago