Covid-19 school closings linked to increase in depression and suicide, study finds – CNN

When Covid-19 hit China in January, the Ministry of Education postponed the start of spring semester to late April. That closure separated children from their friends and their broader community network, and seems to have had an impact on their mental well-being.

Researchers from Anhui Medical University got results back from surveys for 1,241 students who were in grades 4 through 8, and in junior high. The kids lived in Chizhou, Anhui Province, an area that did not have a large number of Covid-19 cases.

Nearly 25% of the students reported depressive symptoms in May, when only about 19% did in November. Suicide attempts more than doubled -- at 6.4% in May compared to the 3% who made suicide attempts in November. There were no similar increases seen in reports of children who reported feeling an increase anxiety.

Researchers hope school leaders will use this research to prepare the necessary mental health services to help children as they return to school following the lockdowns.

Benefits of in-person school outweigh virus risks

As states grappled with how to safely reopen schools earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics led a push for students to be physically present in classrooms rather than continue in remote learning for the sake of their well-being.

""The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020. Lengthy time away from school and associated interruption of supportive services often results in social isolation, making it difficult for schools to identify and address important learning deficits as well as child and adolescent physical or sexual abuse, substance use, depression, and suicidal ideation," the group said.

What it looked like when schools reopened

More students and teachers tested positive for Covid-19, some schools were forced to suddenly change plans, while others opted to delay the start of the school year giving educators more time to prepare for in-person classes.

"What we do know is children have a harder time social distancing. And we can't put a whole bunch of them in a classroom with a teacher right now," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said in an August briefing announcing a delay.

"Other states that have tried to open this new school year are now having to close. We don't want to start and stop. That may be more difficult on our children," he said.

Schools across the country have reported system outages, cyberattacks and other issues that prompted some districts to postpone the first day of class.

If you're experiencing a suicidal crisis, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text the Crisis Text line by texting HOME to 741741 to get help.

CNN's Nicole Chavez, Christina Maxouris and Alicia Lee contributed to this story.

Read more:

Covid-19 school closings linked to increase in depression and suicide, study finds - CNN