Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the world, 163 countries have closed schools and more than a billion children have missed out on school, which includes for many lost access to school meals and other essential social elements necessary to overall well-being. According to UNESCO data, 65 countries already have plans for partial or full school reopening, 32 will end the academic year online, while 100 are yet to announce a date for schools to reopen. For 890 million students, the school calendar has never been so undefined. To address the growing need for information and action among global adolescents, WHO and PMNCH are launching a new series, “Adolescent health and well-being in times of COVID-19. The first Live Series will focus on school reopening.
