Parents must be given a clear explanation of why schools remain closed during the pandemic, researchers said today.
A study by King's College London found that during previous crackdowns to control diseases around the world many children left home to mix with friends.
This calls into question the effectiveness of school closures, and makes it more difficult to predict how long and severe an outbreak will be.
Lead author Dr Samantha Brooks said: “Ensuring parents understand why school closure is important will be a key factor in determining the success of the measures.
“Any school closure should be accompanied by clear information on why this measure is being taken and what it should entail. Effectiveness of school closure will also depend on what other measures are in place.”
The research looked at 19 papers analysing the effect of previous school lockdowns across the world, such as the H1N1 flu pandemic.
