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Unravelling the role of the mandatory use of face covering masks for the control of SARS-CoV-2 in schools: a quasi-experimental study nested in a population-based cohort in Catalonia (Spain).
Coma, Ermengol; Català, Martí; Méndez-Boo, Leonardo; Alonso, Sergio; Hermosilla, Eduardo; Alvarez-Lacalle, Enric; Pino, David; Medina, Manuel; Asso, Laia; Gatell, Anna; Bassat, Quique; Mas, Ariadna; Soriano-Arandes, Antoni; Fina Avilés, Francesc; Prats, Clara.
  • Coma E; Sistemes d'Informació dels Serveis d'Atenció Primària (SISAP), Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Català M; Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
  • Méndez-Boo L; Sistemes d'Informació dels Serveis d'Atenció Primària (SISAP), Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Alonso S; Department of Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Hermosilla E; Sistemes d'Informació dels Serveis d'Atenció Primària (SISAP), Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Alvarez-Lacalle E; IDIAP Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Pino D; Department of Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Medina M; Department of Physics, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Asso L; Sistemes d'Informació dels Serveis d'Atenció Primària (SISAP), Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Gatell A; Departament de Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Bassat Q; Equip Pediatria Territorial Alt Penedès-Garraf, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Mas A; ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Soriano-Arandes A; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhica, Maputo, Mozambique.
  • Fina Avilés F; Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
  • Prats C; Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Esplugues (Barcelona), Catalonia, Spain.
Arch Dis Child ; 2022 Aug 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2255474
ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE:

To assess the effectiveness of mandatory use of face covering masks (FCMs) in schools during the first term of the 2021-2022 academic year.

DESIGN:

A retrospective population-based study.

SETTING:

Schools in Catalonia (Spain). POPULATION 599 314 children aged 3-11 years attending preschool (3-5 years, without FCM mandate) and primary education (6-11 years, with FCM mandate). STUDY PERIOD From 13 September to 22 December 2021 (before Omicron variant).

INTERVENTIONS:

A quasi-experimental comparison between children in the last grade of preschool (5 years old), as a control group, and children in year 1 of primary education (6 years old), as an interventional group. MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Incidence of SARS-CoV-2, secondary attack rates (SARs) and effective reproductive number (R*).

RESULTS:

SARS-CoV-2 incidence was significantly lower in preschool than in primary education, and an increasing trend with age was observed. Six-year-old children showed higher incidence than 5 year olds (3.54% vs 3.1%; OR 1.15 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.22)) and slightly lower but not statistically significant SAR (4.36% vs 4.59%; incidence risk ratio 0.96 (95% CI 0.82 to 1.11)) and R* (0.9 vs 0.93; OR 0.96 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.09)). Results remained consistent using a regression discontinuity design and linear regression extrapolation approaches.

CONCLUSIONS:

We found no significant differences in SARS-CoV-2 transmission due to FCM mandates in Catalonian schools. Instead, age was the most important factor in explaining the transmission risk for children attending school.
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Cohort study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Variants Language: English Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Archdischild-2022-324172

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Cohort study / Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Variants Language: English Year: 2022 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Archdischild-2022-324172