Phillip Sasser1, Timothy McGuine2, Kristin Haraldsdottir2, Kevin Biese3, Leslie Goodavish2, Bethany Stevens3, Andrew M Watson2. 1. From the Department of Pediatrics1, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. 2. Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation2, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI. 3. The Department of Kinesiology3, University of Wisconsin - Madison.
Abstract
(STATE-XXX = Wisconsin). ABSTRACT: Objective: To describe the incidence of COVID-19 in STATE-XXX high school athletes, and to investigate the relationship of COVID-19 incidence with sport and face mask use.Design: Retrospective survey.Setting: High schools across STATE-XXX during September, 2020.Participants: Athletic directors representing 30,074 high school athletes with and without SARS-CoV-2.Independent Variables: COVID-19 rates among athletes, counties, and STATE-XXX, school instruction type (virtual vs in-person), sport type, face mask use.Main Outcome Measurements: Reported athlete case rates compared to their county's general population. Associations between COVID-19 incidence and sport type and face mask use, adjusting for each school's county incidence using multivariable negative binomial regression models. Results: COVID-19 incidence rates for 207 of 244 responding schools were 32.6 cases per 100,000 player-days. Reported case rates for athletes in each county were positively correlated with the county's general population case rates (β=1.14±0.20, r=0.60, p<0.001). One case (0.5%) was attributed to sport contact by the reporting schools. No difference was identified between team and individual sports (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=1.03 [95% CI=0.49-2.2], p=0.93) or between non-contact and contact sports (IRR=0.53 [0.23-1.3], p=0.14). Outdoor sports had a lower incidence rate than indoor sports, although this did not reach statistical significance (IRR=0.52 [0.26-1.1], p=0.07). There were no significant associations between COVID-19 incidence and face mask use during play for those sports with greater than 50 schools reporting on face mask use (p>0.05 for all).Conclusions: Incidence of reported COVID-19 among high school athletes was related to county incidence and most cases were attributed to non-sport contact. A lower COVID-19 incidence in outdoor sports approached statistical significance. The lack of a significant benefit of face mask use may be due to relatively low rates of COVID-19 in STATE-XXX during September 2020. Further research is needed to better define COVID-19 transmission risk factors during adolescent sport participation.
(STATE-XXX = Wisconsin). ABSTRACT: Objective: To describe the incidence of COVID-19 in STATE-XXX high school athletes, and to investigate the relationship of COVID-19 incidence with sport and face mask use.Design: Retrospective survey.Setting: High schools across STATE-XXX during September, 2020.Participants: Athletic directors representing 30,074 high school athletes with and without SARS-CoV-2.Independent Variables: COVID-19 rates among athletes, counties, and STATE-XXX, school instruction type (virtual vs in-person), sport type, face mask use.Main Outcome Measurements: Reported athlete case rates compared to their county's general population. Associations between COVID-19 incidence and sport type and face mask use, adjusting for each school's county incidence using multivariable negative binomial regression models. Results: COVID-19 incidence rates for 207 of 244 responding schools were 32.6 cases per 100,000 player-days. Reported case rates for athletes in each county were positively correlated with the county's general population case rates (β=1.14±0.20, r=0.60, p<0.001). One case (0.5%) was attributed to sport contact by the reporting schools. No difference was identified between team and individual sports (incidence rate ratio (IRR)=1.03 [95% CI=0.49-2.2], p=0.93) or between non-contact and contact sports (IRR=0.53 [0.23-1.3], p=0.14). Outdoor sports had a lower incidence rate than indoor sports, although this did not reach statistical significance (IRR=0.52 [0.26-1.1], p=0.07). There were no significant associations between COVID-19 incidence and face mask use during play for those sports with greater than 50 schools reporting on face mask use (p>0.05 for all).Conclusions: Incidence of reported COVID-19 among high school athletes was related to county incidence and most cases were attributed to non-sport contact. A lower COVID-19 incidence in outdoor sports approached statistical significance. The lack of a significant benefit of face mask use may be due to relatively low rates of COVID-19 in STATE-XXX during September 2020. Further research is needed to better define COVID-19 transmission risk factors during adolescent sport participation.
Authors: Andrew M Watson; Kristin Haraldsdottir; Kevin M Biese; Leslie Goodavish; Bethany Stevens; Timothy A McGuine Journal: J Athl Train Date: 2021-06-01 Impact factor: 3.824
Authors: Sara Raimondi; Giulio Cammarata; Giovanna Testa; Federica Bellerba; Federica Galli; Patrizia Gnagnarella; Maria Luisa Iannuzzo; Dorotea Ricci; Alessandro Sartorio; Clementina Sasso; Gabriella Pravettoni; Sara Gandini Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-06-28 Impact factor: 4.614