Debate: COVID-19 and psychological well-being of children and adolescents in Italy

Italy was the first country in Europe to deal with COVID-19. Measures taken by the government to contain the spread of the virus were based mainly on quarantine and social distancing, with dramatic economic, social and psychological consequences. Since March, Italian children and adolescents are facing school closures, which have caused a disruption in the daily lives of millions of young people and their families. To date, despite the slow reopening, the government has decided to maintain school closures for the entire academic year, leaving the future of young people in uncertainty. There is already some evidence that quarantine and social isolation are having negative impact on children's and adolescents' psychological well-being. Moreover, this situation will mainly affect those children and adolescents with pre-existing vulnerabilities and those suffering of mental disorders. It is imperative to keep young people’s needs at the core of reconstruction plans, allowing them to return to school safely, and providing them with some strategies to heal and dealing with this stressful and potentially traumatic situation.     

School health promotion in South‐East Asia by Japan and partners

School health promotion in South‐East Asia has developed rapidly in recent years, and Japan has been one of the significant contributors to the reinforcement of school health promotion in the region. Starting from the Hashimoto Initiative on global parasite control, Japan advocated for international partnerships with several agencies for the development of school health programs in South‐East Asia. Through a strengthened collaboration with international organizations, countries such as the Lao PDR, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Thailand have created and implemented school health programs on nutrition, sanitation, and deworming, among others. In addition to school health program formulation and implementation, the expanded network in South‐East Asia led to more capable school health personnel, with many workers in the education and health sectors benefitting from the training programs jointly held by collaborating organizations.