Passing the Test: A Model-Based Analysis of Safe School-Reopening Strategies.
Ann Intern Med
; 174(8): 1090-1100, 2021 08.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1497804
Preprint
This scientific journal article is probably based on a previously available preprint. It has been identified through a machine matching algorithm, human confirmation is still pending.
See preprint
This scientific journal article is probably based on a previously available preprint. It has been identified through a machine matching algorithm, human confirmation is still pending.
See preprint
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The COVID-19 pandemic has induced historic educational disruptions. In April 2021, about 40% of U.S. public school students were not offered full-time in-person education.OBJECTIVE:
To assess the risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools.DESIGN:
An agent-based network model was developed to simulate transmission in elementary and high school communities, including home, school, and interhousehold interactions.SETTING:
School structure was parametrized to reflect average U.S. classrooms, with elementary schools of 638 students and high schools of 1451 students. Daily local incidence was varied from 1 to 100 cases per 100 000 persons.PARTICIPANTS:
Students, faculty, staff, and adult household members. INTERVENTION Isolation of symptomatic individuals, quarantine of an infected individual's contacts, reduced class sizes, alternative schedules, staff vaccination, and weekly asymptomatic screening. MEASUREMENTS Transmission was projected among students, staff, and families after a single infection in school and over an 8-week quarter, contingent on local incidence.RESULTS:
School transmission varies according to student age and local incidence and is substantially reduced with mitigation measures. Nevertheless, when transmission occurs, it may be difficult to detect without regular testing because of the subclinical nature of most children's infections. Teacher vaccination can reduce transmission to staff, and asymptomatic screening improves understanding of local circumstances and reduces transmission.LIMITATION:
Uncertainty exists about the susceptibility and infectiousness of children, and precision is low regarding the effectiveness of specific countermeasures, particularly with new variants.CONCLUSION:
With controlled community transmission and moderate mitigation, elementary schools can open safety, but high schools require more intensive mitigation. Asymptomatic screening can facilitate reopening at higher local incidence while minimizing transmission risk. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Facebook.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Schools
/
Risk Assessment
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Diagnostic study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Topics:
Vaccines
/
Variants
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Ann Intern Med
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS