Analysis of COVID-19 Infection Chains in a School Setting: Data From a School-Based rRT-PCR-Gargle Pool Test System.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: School testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was implemented in some countries to monitor and prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmissions. Here, we analyze infection chains in primary schools and household members of infected students based on systematic real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase-chain-reaction (rRT-PCR)-gargle pool testing. METHODS: Students and school staff (N = 4300) of all 38 primary schools in the rural county of Cham, Germany, were tested twice per week with a gargle pool rRT-PCR system from April to July of 2021. Infection chains of all 8 positive cases identified by school testing were followed up. RESULTS: In total, 8 positive cases were found by gargle pool PCR testing based on 96,764 school tests. While no transmissions occurred in the school setting, 20 of 27 household members of the 8 cases tested positive. The overall attack rate was 74.1% in families. CONCLUSIONS: No school outbreaks occurred during the study period. All cases but 1 were initially picked up by school testing. No transmission from school to families was observed.