| 1. Reopen schools in a staged fashion. |
| | A number of countries have reopened kindergartens and primary schools first (Denmark and Norway). |
| 2. Incorporate social distancing. |
| Across the school | Close playgrounds or social distance within playgrounds, for example, single-class groups in playground at a time, implementing social distancing during play. Stagger school start times and period changes for year, to avoid years mixing and to reduce social contacts in corridors. Stop all communal activities, for example, dining, assemblies and sports. Ensure social distancing on school buses and other transports. Split school into halves so that only half the years attend at one time. This could be half-days (some years in the morning, some in the afternoon, with no mixing), alternating full days or alternating weeks (half the students attend every second week). Keep children in constant class groups to reduce range of contacts. Keep all books or equipment at school to reduce potential for transmission through surfaces. Avoid sharing of equipment between children.
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| Within-year groups | Split each year so that half the classes in a year attend at a time. Again this could be half-days, alternating full days or alternating weeks or fortnights. Fortnights may be epidemiologically more effective at disrupting transmission. |
| Within classes | Split classes so that only half of each class (or a maximum of 15–20 students) attend at any one time. Splits could be half-days, full days or weekly. Physical social distancing within classes, separation of desks by 1–2 m; physical barriers between desks have been implemented in some countries.
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| 3. Infection control, testing and tracing. |
| | Institute hygiene practices, both personal (handwashing) and institutional (regular cleaning of surfaces) and education of students in hygiene and infection control. Testing and tracing of contacts of positive cases. Isolation of suspected cases in students and staff. National and regional class and school closure policies, depending on infection burden in students.
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| 4. Protect teachers and vulnerable students. |
| | (Re)Institute programmes to support vulnerable children before schools reopen and continue them during reopening. Encourage older or medically vulnerable teachers to provide administrative support or virtual teaching. Social distancing for teachers within classrooms. Basic protective equipment for teachers. Wearing of face masks: the WHO currently does not recommend wearing of face masks in community settings but recognises current uncertainty and that some countries recommend them.
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| 5. Research and evaluate. |