USAID and other development practitioners and policymakers around globe are rapidly mobilizing to develop a coherent, multi-sector strategy for the COVID-19 response. The education sector specifically will contribute to the strategy by defining how support will be prioritized.

In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, 107 countries had implemented national school closures by March 18, 2020.

What evidence exist regarding efforts to mitigate the secondary impact of past disease outbreaks and associated response on the education sector?

School closures may delay the epidemic peak of the next influenza pandemic, but whether school closure can delay the peak until pandemic vaccine is ready to be deployed is uncertain.