Data_Sheet_2_COVID-19 Driven Adaptations in the Provision of School Meals in the Baltic Sea Region.docx

The instability, rapid changes, and restrictions generated by the COVID-19 pandemic tested the provision of school meals in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). School meal services were affected by factors such as full or partial lockdowns, strict hygiene regimes, lay-offs or staff shortages, stressful working environments, supply shortages, and changes to storing, cooking, and serving models. However, the responses to the COVID-19 crisis were highlighted by innovation, new opportunities, and cooperation. This paper reviews several examples of COVID-19 crisis management at school canteens in five BSR countries [Estonia, Finland, Poland, Russia (Saint Petersburg), and Sweden] between March 2020 and March 2021. The paper reveals the significant operational, logistical, and systemic problems that appeared because of the pandemic; the solutions and adaptations that were developed are also identified. The preparatory processes, logistics, and services that were adapted during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a new school meal provision model—a takeaway model; that includes similar features and unique characteristics across the different countries. Overall, the provision of school meals was carried out successfully in the BSR during the pandemic. Responsible, competent, and innovative professionals used their organizational skills, flexibility, and responsiveness to feed school pupils in a highly restricted and rapidly changing environment. It is expected that several of the COVID-19-driven innovations will remain in use following the pandemic.

COVID-19疫情的波动不定、急剧变化以及所施加的限制对波罗的海地区（BSR）学校餐饮服务的提供造成了考验。学校餐饮服务受到全面或部分封锁、严格的卫生规程、裁员或人员短缺、压力重重的办公环境、供应短缺以及存储、烹饪和服务的模式变更等因素的影响。然而，对COVID-19危机的应对凸显了创新、新的机遇与合作。本文回顾了波罗的海地区五个国家（爱沙尼亚、芬兰、波兰、俄罗斯圣彼得堡和瑞典）在2020年3月至2021年3月期间学校食堂在COVID-19危机管理中的几个案例。文章揭示了由于疫情而产生的显著运营、物流和系统性问题；同时，还识别了所开发出的解决方案和适应性调整。在COVID-19疫情期间进行的预备过程、物流和服务调整导致了一种新的学校餐饮供应模式——外卖模式的出现；该模式在不同国家具有相似的特征和独特的特点。总体而言，在疫情期间，波罗的海地区成功实施了学校餐饮服务。负责任、有能力且富有创新精神的专业人士运用他们的组织技能、灵活性和应变能力，在一个高度受限且快速变化的环境中滋养了学校学生。预计，COVID-19驱动的部分创新将在疫情之后继续使用。