The State of Israel encourages childbirth. This is a social value of the first order. So, for example, the State of Israel's generous funding of fertility treatments far exceeds that of other Western countries. As a reflection of this, Israel's birth rate is the highest among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member-states.
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One would expect the value society places on childbirth to be reflected in the importance we as a society place on children and for children to be a sector of the population the state invests in and nurtures. Unfortunately, this is not the case. For years, we have seen how classrooms in Israel are packed like sardines compared to other developed countries.
The past year offered an extreme example of how, as a country, the well-being of our children is not a top priority.
Over the last year, Israeli children have been learning online. Studying this way for hours on end is difficult, even for adults. This kind of learning widens the gaps in Israeli society between those who have a supportive network in their homes and those who don't. Sitting and staring at screens for an extended length of time decreases physical activity and makes children focus on their physical appearance.
As a result, we expect to see an increase in obesity and eating disorders. Being in lockdown and having fewer social interactions in this ongoing pandemic increase the prevalence of anxiety disorders and depression, both of which have a negative impact on sleep.
While the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak can be closely monitored, there are no statistics on the impact this is having on our health. Everything we do know we learn from periodic surveys. That is why, so far, these problems have gone under the radar; but they are real, and they will have long-term repercussions for the next generation. Children of all ages need to develop social and communication skills. They need to get out of their homes to engage in routine activities, the likes of which they would probably complain about in normal times.
Middle-schoolers have probably been the most negatively affected. They have spent no more than 16 days in a physical classroom since the start of the school year. The third wave of the coronavirus outbreak was characterized by many more verified cases among children and diminished the advantage 0-9-year-olds had in avoiding infection. The only reason the priority has been to get these younger children back to schools at preschools, and not preteens, is to allow their parents to work.
Over the last year, my friends from the Hadassah Medical Center and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have asked decision-makers to examine a return to in-person learning in small groups in either ventilated classrooms, empty public buildings, or outside. Each time, we were informed such changes required an allocation of resources and therefore could not be quickly implemented.
The State of Israel can learn from other countries' experience on the issue and leverage its ability to vaccinate teachers and students aged 16 and over. One year into the pandemic, the time has come to have everyone involved sit down and come up with a broad strategy for the education system that will allow routine in-person learning while minimizing the risk of infection for the safety and well-being of our children.
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