Materials to use in the time of COVID-19
From the start of 2020, the coronavirus pandemic spread the illness COVIC-19 in Europe. The loss of lives is huge and countries, cities, local communities, schools, families and children have been deeply affected by the situation.
SHE has been and still is supporting schools to deal with the situation through inspiration, advice and collaboration between countries. Schools are important in fighting the situation during the pandemic and in helping children, parents and teaching staff to cope in a changed world. Health promoting schools commit to focus on physical, mental, social and environmental health and to ensure learning and well-being, even when schools are closed.
School Health Promotion in time of the COVID-19 pandemic (in English)
School Health Promotion in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic (in Italian)
COVID and masks for children (video from SHE Branch Office in Moscow)
Easy access to key guidance from WHO, UNESCO and UNICEFF on COVID-19 and education
WHO recommendations for school operations during COVID-19 are scattered across many documents, making it challenging for users to find the latest relevant information. A new site with key guidance from WHO, UNESCO and UNICEF as well as other UN agencies and partners is now published to make it easier to access knowledge and information about COVID-19 and education.
Checklist to support schools re-opening and preparation for COVID-19 resurgences or similar public health crises
WHO has made this checklist that is aligned with, and builds upon, existing COVID-19-related WHO guidelines.
Technical experts advise on how to ensure the best possible schooling during COVID-19
SHE is represented in a TAG (technical advisory group) in WHO on schooling during the pandemic. On 24th March 2021, the group published its first recommandations. Keeping schools open is at the heart of the recommendations made by a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) advising WHO/Europe on matters related to schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more about the work of the TAG.
Read the document: Schooling during COVID-19
Sharing the best practice
Teachers and all staff at schools have been innovative and creative and SHE has been collecting ideas to share amongst our member countries. You can find so many good ideas and advices from creative schools with a huge experience on being health promoting schools.
Visit our Facebook platform for more stories
Children's need in the time of COVID-19
Watch a video on how to meet the emotional needs of children in the times of pandemic. This SHE video was presented on Healthy Cities Network Conference on COVID-19 (August 2020)
Health literacy and COVID-19
Result from the COVID-19 Health Literacy survey show that 43% of German university students experience difficulties in assessing the reliability of COVID-19 information. Social media use is associated with lower health literacy in this area. Researchers from SHE's research group have contributed to this studie - read the article.
Collaboration with other organisations
UNESCO Chairs and WHO Collaborating Centre in Global Health & Education together with SHE and the EUPHA Health Promotion section have launched a knowledge sharing process on school reopening. All information from this process can be seen online:
See UNESCO Chair's page on COVID-19 information.
SHE has a seat in WHOs Expert Group on the Resumption of Schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See WHOs questions and answers on COVID-19 and schools
The WASH in Schools Network (UNICEF, GIZ, Save the Children, WATERAID; Emory, LSHTM, among others) has compiled a knowledge map with links to relevant materials about COVID-19 for learners, their families and the education system. The map is intended for the time when schools are closed and in preparation for re-opening of schools. The material helps to navigate through the jungle of information about COVID-19, specifically its relevance for the school community and it is from high-quality, reliable sources for the education system, families and for pre-primary, primary and secondary school children.
As the pandemic has created the conditions to respond to mental health in newways and to realize the long-overdue need for a comprehensive population approach to mental health, IUHPE (International Union for Health Promotion and Education) has made a statement paper, 'Critical Actions for Mental Health Promotion.
Read the statement paper here.
UNICEF, WHO and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have developed a document to provide clear and actionable guidance for safe operations through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in schools and other educational facilities. The report is available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published a tool to assist administrators in making decisions on (re)opening schools in the time of the pandemic.