SARS-CoV-2 Screening Testing Program for Safe In-person Learning in K-12 Schools.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) screening testing is a recommended mitigation strategy for schools, although few descriptions of program implementation are available. METHODS: Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) students and staff practicing universal masking during the delta and omicron variant waves from 5 schools in Durham, North Carolina and 8 in Kansas City, Missouri participated; Durham's program was structured as a public health initiative facilitated by school staff, and Kansas City's as a research study facilitated by a research team. Tests included school-based rapid antigen or polymerase chain reaction testing, at-home rapid antigen testing, and off-site nucleic acid amplification testing. RESULTS: We performed nearly 5,700 screening tests on more than 1,600 K-12 school students and staff members. The total cost for the Durham testing program in 5 public charter K-12 schools, each with 500-1000 students, was $246,587 and approximately 752 hours per semester; cost per test was $70 and cost per positive result was $7,076. The total cost for the Kansas City program in 8 public K-12 schools was $292,591 and required approximately 537 hours in personnel time for school-based testing; cost per test was $132 and cost per positive result was $4,818. SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates were generally lower (0-16.16%) than rates in the community (2.7-36.47%) throughout all testing weeks. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Voluntary screening testing programs in K-12 schools are costly and rarely detect asymptomatic positive persons, particularly in universally masked settings.

Building a National Framework to Pair Scientists and Schools During a Global Pandemic.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced the suspension of in-person education in schools serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) across the United States. As time passed, teachers, students, and parents struggled with remote education. With limited guidance at the federal level, physicians and school leaders across the country collaborated to develop local solutions for schools. This article describes the lessons learned from the development of 4 academic-community partnerships and collaboration among these partnerships to provide national leadership on managing COVID-19 mitigation in the K-12 environment. In addition, we describe a pathway forward for using academic-community partnerships to improve child health.

Test-to-Stay After SARS-CoV-2 Exposure: A Mitigation Strategy for Optionally Masked K-12 Schools.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impact of a test-to-stay (TTS) program on within-school transmission and missed school days in optionally masked kindergarten through 12th grade schools during a period of high community severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 transmission. METHODS: Close contacts of those with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection were eligible for enrollment in the TTS program if exposure to a nonhousehold contact occurred between November 11, 2021 and January 28, 2022. Consented participants avoided school exclusion if they remained asymptomatic and rapid antigen testing at prespecified intervals remained negative. Primary outcomes included within-school tertiary attack rate (test positivity among close contacts of positive TTS participants) and school days saved among TTS participants. We estimated the number of additional school-acquired cases resulting from TTS and eliminating school exclusion. RESULTS: A total of 1675 participants tested positive or received at least 1 negative test between days 5 and 7 and completed follow-up; 92% were students and 91% were exposed to an unmasked primary case. We identified 201 positive cases. We observed a tertiary attack rate of 10% (95% confidence interval: 6%-19%), and 7272 (89%) of potentially missed days were saved through TTS implementation. We estimated 1 additional school-acquired case for every 21 TTS participants remaining in school buildings during the entire study period. CONCLUSIONS: Even in the setting of high community transmission, a TTS strategy resulted in substantial reduction in missed school days in optionally masked schools.

Test-to-Stay After Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in K-12 Schools.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a test-to-stay program for unvaccinated students and staff who experienced an unmasked, in-school exposure to someone with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. Serial testing instead of quarantine was offered to asymptomatic contacts. We measured secondary and tertiary transmission rates within participating schools and in-school days preserved for participants. METHODS: Participating staff or students from universally masked districts in North Carolina underwent rapid antigen testing at set intervals up to 7 days after known exposure. Collected data included location or setting of exposure, participant symptoms, and school absences up to 14 days after enrollment. Outcomes included tertiary transmission, secondary transmission, and school days saved among test-to-stay participants. A prespecified interim safety analysis occurred after 1 month of enrollment. RESULTS: We enrolled 367 participants and completed 14-day follow-up on all participants for this analysis. Nearly all (215 of 238, 90%) exposure encounters involved an unmasked index case and an unmasked close contact, with most (353 of 366, 96%) occurring indoors, during lunch (137 of 357, 39%) or athletics (45 of 357, 13%). Secondary attack rate was 1.7% (95% confidence interval: 0.6%-4.7%) based on 883 SARS-CoV-2 serial rapid antigen tests with results from 357 participants; no tertiary cases were identified, and 1628 (92%) school days were saved through test-to-stay program implementation out of 1764 days potentially missed. CONCLUSION: After unmasked in-school exposure to SARS-CoV-2, even in a mostly unvaccinated population, a test-to-stay strategy is a safe alternative to quarantine.

School Masking Policies and Secondary SARS-CoV-2 Transmission.

OBJECTIVES: Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, masking has been a widely used mitigation practice in kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) school districts to limit within-school transmission. Prior studies attempting to quantify the impact of masking have assessed total cases within schools; however, the metric that more optimally defines effectiveness of mitigation practices is within-school transmission, or secondary cases. We estimated the impact of various masking practices on secondary transmission in a cohort of K-12 schools. METHODS: We performed a multistate, prospective, observational, open cohort study from July 26, 2021 to December 13, 2021. Districts reported mitigation practices and weekly infection data. Districts that were able to perform contact tracing and adjudicate primary and secondary infections were eligible for inclusion. To estimate the impact of masking on secondary transmission, we used a quasi-Poisson regression model. RESULTS: A total of 1 112 899 students and 157 069 staff attended 61 K-12 districts across 9 states that met inclusion criteria. The districts reported 40 601 primary and 3085 secondary infections. Six districts had optional masking policies, 9 had partial masking policies, and 46 had universal masking. In unadjusted analysis, districts that optionally masked throughout the study period had 3.6 times the rate of secondary transmission as universally masked districts; and for every 100 community-acquired cases, universally masked districts had 7.3 predicted secondary infections, whereas optionally masked districts had 26.4. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary transmission across the cohort was modest (<10% of total infections) and universal masking was associated with reduced secondary transmission compared with optional masking.

Secondary Transmission of COVID-19 in K-12 Schools: Findings From 2 States.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the impact of distancing practices on secondary transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the degree of sports-associated secondary transmission across a large diverse cohort of schools during spring 2021. METHODS: Participating districts in North Carolina and Wisconsin and North Carolina charter schools offering in-person instruction between March 15, 2021 and June 25, 2021 reported on distancing policies, community- and school-acquired infections, quarantines, and infections associated with school-sponsored sports. We calculated the ratio of school-acquired to community-acquired infection, secondary attack rates, and the proportion of secondary transmission events associated with sports. To estimate the effect of distancing and bus practices on student secondary transmission, we used a quasi-Poisson regression model with the number of primary student cases as the denominator. RESULTS: During the study period, 1 102 039 students and staff attended in-person instruction in 100 North Carolina school districts, 13 Wisconsin school districts, and 14 North Carolina charter schools. Students and staff had 7865 primary infections, 386 secondary infections, and 48 313 quarantines. For every 20 community-acquired infections, there was 1 within-school transmission event. Secondary transmissions associated with school sports composed 46% of secondary transmission events in middle and high schools. Relaxed distancing practices (<3 ft, 3 ft) and increased children per bus seat were not associated with increased relative risk of secondary transmission. CONCLUSIONS: With universal masking, in-person education was associated with low rates of secondary transmission, even with less stringent distancing and bus practices. Given the rates of sports-associated secondary transmission, additional mitigation may be warranted.

A School-Based SARS-CoV-2 Testing Program: Testing Uptake and Quarantine Length After In-School Exposures.

OBJECTIVES: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-related quarantines, which are required after close contact with infected individuals, have substantially disrupted in-person education for kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) students. In recent recommendations, shortened durations of quarantine are allowed if a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result is obtained at 5 to 7 days postexposure, but access to testing remains limited. We hypothesized that providing access to in-school SARS-CoV-2 testing postexposure would increase testing and reduce missed school days. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted in one large public K-12 school district in North Carolina and included 2 periods: preimplementation (March 15, 2021, to April 21, 2021) and postimplementation (April 22, 2021, to June 4, 2021), defined around initiation of an in-school SARS-CoV-2 testing program in which on-site access to testing is provided. Number of quarantined students and staff, testing uptake, test results, and number of missed school days were analyzed and compared between the preimplementation and postimplementation periods. RESULTS: Twenty-four schools, including 12 251 in-person learners, participated in the study. During preimplementation, 446 close contacts were quarantined for school-related exposures; 708 close contacts were quarantined postimplementation. Testing uptake after school-related exposures increased from 6% to 40% (95% confidence interval: 23% to 45%) after implementation, and 89% of tests were conducted in-school. After in-school testing implementation, close contacts missed ∼1.5 fewer days of school (95% confidence interval: -2 to -1). CONCLUSIONS: Providing access to in-school testing may be a worthwhile mechanism to increase testing uptake after in-school exposures and minimize missed days of in-person learning, thereby mitigating the pandemic's ongoing impact on children.

Masking Adherence in K-12 Schools and SARS-CoV-2 Secondary Transmission.

OBJECTIVES: Masking is an essential coronavirus 2019 mitigation tool assisting in the safe return of kindergarten through 12th grade children and staff to in-person instruction; however, masking adherence, compliance evaluation methods, and potential consequences of surveillance are currently unknown. We describe 2 school districts' approaches to promote in-school masking and the consequent impact on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 secondary transmission. METHODS: Two North Carolina school districts developed surveillance programs with daily versus weekly interventions to monitor in-school masking adherence. Safety teams recorded the proportion of students and staff appropriately wearing masks and provided real-time education after observation of improper masking. Primary infections, within-school transmission, and county-level severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection rates were assessed. RESULTS: Proper mask use was high in both intervention groups and districts. There were variations by grade level, with lower rates in elementary schools, and proper adherence being higher in the weekly surveillance group. Rates of secondary transmission were low in both districts with surveillance programs, regardless of intervention frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Masking surveillance interventions are effective at ensuring appropriate masking at all school levels. Creating a culture of safety within schools led by local leadership is important and a feasible opportunity for school districts with return to in-person school. In our study of schools with high masking adherence, secondary transmission was low.

Quarantine Elimination for K-12 Students With Mask-on-Mask Exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

OBJECTIVES: With layered mitigation strategies, there are low rates of secondary transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; therefore, quarantine after close-contact exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 in the kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) setting further disrupts in-person learning with uncertain benefit. We explored the impact of eliminating quarantine for students with mask-on-mask exposures to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on associated secondary transmission in schools. METHODS: This observational study was conducted in a large K-12 public school district in Omaha, Nebraska (August 1, 2020, to March 15, 2021). We assessed primary and secondary COVID-19 infections in teachers and staff, frequency of quarantine for students and staff, and the impact of eliminating quarantine on secondary transmission in mask-on-mask exposure settings. RESULTS: A total of 18 632 and 19 604 students and 2855 staff attended in-person learning in the fall and spring semesters, respectively; 1856 primary infections were among students and staff. Despite 3947 student quarantines in the fall and 1689 student quarantines in the first 10 weeks of spring semester instruction, there were only 2 cases of secondary transmission. A local policy change removed quarantine requirements for students with mask-on-mask exposure to COVID-19. Required quarantines in the spring semester reduced by 41% per primary infection compared with the fall; no student who qualified to avoid quarantine developed a secondary infection. CONCLUSIONS: School-based COVID-19 transmission was exceptionally low in this large K-12 Nebraska school district. Elimination of student quarantine after masked exposure to COVID-19 within school was not associated with secondary transmission. Elimination of unnecessary quarantine elimination may help maximize in-person learning in the 2021-2022 school year.

Community SARS-CoV-2 Surge and Within-School Transmission.

OBJECTIVES: When the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic began, experts raised concerns about in-person instruction in the setting of high levels of community transmission. We describe secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within North Carolina kindergarten through 12th-grade school districts during a winter surge to determine if mitigation strategies can hinder within-school transmission. METHODS: From October 26, 2020, to February 28, 2021, 13 North Carolina school districts participating in The ABC Science Collaborative were open for in-person instruction, adhered to basic mitigation strategies, and tracked community- and school-acquired SARS-CoV-2 cases. Public health officials adjudicated each case. We combined these data with that from August 2020 to evaluate the effect of the SARS-CoV-2 winter surge on infection rates as well as weekly community- and school-acquired cases. We evaluated the number of secondary cases generated by each primary case as well as the role of athletic activities in school-acquired cases. RESULTS: More than 100 000 students and staff from 13 school districts attended school in person; of these, 4969 community-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infections were documented by molecular testing. Through contact tracing, North Carolina local health department staff identified an additional 209 infections among >26 000 school close contacts (secondary attack rate <1%). Most within-school transmissions in high schools (75%) were linked to school-sponsored sports. School-acquired cases slightly increased during the surge; however, within-school transmission rates remained constant, from presurge to surge, with ∼1 school-acquired case for every 20 primary cases. CONCLUSIONS: With adherence to basic mitigation strategies, within-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2 can be interrupted, even during a surge of community infections.

Incidence and Secondary Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Schools.

BACKGROUND: In an effort to mitigate the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), North Carolina closed prekindergarten through grade 12 public schools to in-person instruction on March 14, 2020. On July 15, 2020, North Carolina's governor announced schools could open via remote learning or a hybrid model that combined in-person and remote instruction. In August 2020, 56 of 115 North Carolina school districts joined The ABC Science Collaborative (ABCs) to implement public health measures to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission and share lessons learned. We describe secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 within participating school districts during the first 9 weeks of in-person instruction in the 2020-2021 academic year. METHODS: From August 15, 2020 to October 23, 2020, 11 of 56 school districts participating in ABCs were open for in-person instruction for all 9 weeks of the first quarter and agreed to track incidence and secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Local health department staff adjudicated secondary transmission. Superintendents met weekly with ABCs faculty to share lessons learned and develop prevention methods. RESULTS: Over 9 weeks, 11 participating school districts had >90 000 students and staff attend school in person. Among these students and staff, 773 community-acquired SARS-CoV-2 infections were documented by molecular testing. Through contact tracing, health department staff determined an additional 32 infections were acquired within schools. No instances of child-to-adult transmission of SARS-CoV-2 were reported within schools. CONCLUSIONS: In the first 9 weeks of in-person instruction in North Carolina schools, we found extremely limited within-school secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2, as determined by contact tracing.

Impact of COVID-19-related School Closures on the Drivers of Child Health.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in large-scale school closures in an effort to reduce the spread of disease. This article reviews the potential impact of COVID-19-related school closures on the health of children in North Carolina, with particular attention to the impact of school closures on drivers of child health.