Reply to the letter to the editor entitled “About the ‘critical reflections’ on the Municipal Epidemiological Resilience Index”

Abstract

Agradecemos los comentarios de Rojas-Botero et al. sobre el documento de nuestra autoría titulado "Critical reflections about the Municipal epidemiological resilience index used for public policy decision-making regarding the control of the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia". Reconocemos que la salud pública, entendida como la condición de bienestar de la comunidad, es a lo que deben estar dedicados todos nuestros esfuerzos como profesionales de la salud. En este sentido, la toma de decisiones en medio de una emergencia de gran magnitud, como la que enfrentamos en la actualidad a causa de la pandemia por COVID-19, requiere de un juicio ponderado y sereno que considere tanto el contexto general como las especificidades locales y que incluya la mejor evidencia científica disponible, es decir, aquella que no solo soporte las decisiones, sino que también privilegie los beneficios sobre los riesgos.

Impacto de la educación virtual y del retorno total a clases presenciales en la salud mental de población pediátrica en pandemia y postpandemia por COVID-19

“…6,7 Even though, as mentioned above, the measures of social distancing and restriction of human mobility, particularly the closure of schools and the cessation of on-site classes, had a negative impact on the mental health of children and adolescents, the decision taken by the governments of several countries, including Colombia, to reopen educational institutions and begin a gradual return to on-site classes until 100% attendance was achieved was questioned due to the fear of an increase in the number of contagions. 8,9 In this sense, understanding both the differential effects of closing schools and other social distancing measures on the mental health of children and adolescents, as well as the potential risks of a full return to schools and face-to-face classes, is critical for the education and health sectors to implement actions to protect the mental wellbeing of children and adolescents and their caregivers. 10 In view of the above, the objective of this article was to reflect on the differential impact that the closure of schools and the implementation of online learning had during the COVID-19 pandemic on the development and mental health of the child and adolescent population, as well as the potential effects of a full return to face-to-face education on these same aspects, in order to guide the most appropriate preventive actions in future pandemics.…”