Assessing the impact of SARS-CoV-2 prevention measures in Austrian schools using agent-based simulations and cluster tracing data.
Nat Commun
; 13(1): 554, 2022 01 27.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1655581
ABSTRACT
We aim to identify those measures that effectively control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Austrian schools. Using cluster tracing data we calibrate an agent-based epidemiological model and consider situations where the B1.617.2 (delta) virus strain is dominant and parts of the population are vaccinated to quantify the impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as room ventilation, reduction of class size, wearing of masks during lessons, vaccinations, and school entry testing by SARS-CoV2-antigen tests. In the data we find that 40% of all clusters involved no more than two cases, and 3% of the clusters only had more than 20 cases. The model shows that combinations of NPIs together with vaccinations are necessary to allow for a controlled opening of schools under sustained community transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant. For plausible vaccination rates, primary (secondary) schools require a combination of at least two (three) of the above NPIs.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Primary Prevention
/
Vaccination
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
Topics:
Vaccines
/
Variants
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Child
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal:
Nat Commun
Journal subject:
Biology
/
Science
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S41467-022-28170-6
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