North and East Syria Administration bans large gatherings, considers school restrictions to combat spread of coronavirus

NORTH AND EAST SYRIA — The Executive Council of the Democratic Autonomous Administration (DAA) of North and East Syria issued a resolution banning large gatherings to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The decision also mandated that masks be worn in public spaces and social distancing be maintained.

Kawthar Doku, Co-Chair of the Education Authority, said they will meet with the Health Authority in the next two days to discuss the implementation of precautionary measures in schools.

Doku noted that the spread of the coronavirus has negatively affected education processes over the past two years and suggested that no closures will be imposed on schools in the coming period.

She explained that the measures may include reducing the number of teaching hours as well as reducing the number of students per classroom.

Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist and Covid-19 Technical Lead at the World Health Organization (WHO), stressed that the delta variant will not be the last variable of the virus, as others are already spreading. Dr. Kerkhove noted that the qualitative shift in eliminating the spread requires international cooperation and a global coronavirus control plan.

She pointed out that there is already a plan to combat and prevent the spread of Covid-19, explaining that the plan was issued on 4 February 2020, four days after the Director-General of the WHO declared an international public health emergency.