OBJECTIVE: To determine whether modified K-12 student quarantine policies that allow some students to continue in-person education during their quarantine period increase schoolwide SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk following the increase in cases in winter 2020-2021. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of COVID-19 cases and close contacts among students and staff (n = 65,621) in 103 Missouri public schools. Participants were offered free, saliva-based RT-PCR testing. The projected number of school-based transmission events among untested close contacts was extrapolated from the percentage of events detected among tested asymptomatic close contacts and summed with the number of detected events for a projected total. An adjusted Cox regression model compared hazard rates of school-based SARS-CoV-2 infections between schools with a modified versus standard quarantine policy. RESULTS: From January-March 2021, a projected 23 (1%) school-based transmission events occurred among 1,636 school close contacts. There was no difference in the adjusted hazard rates of school-based SARS-CoV-2 infections between schools with a modified versus standard quarantine policy (hazard ratio = 1.00; 95% confidence interval: 0.97-1.03). DISCUSSION: School-based SARS-CoV-2 transmission was rare in 103 K-12 schools implementing multiple COVID-19 prevention strategies. Modified student quarantine policies were not associated with increased school incidence of COVID-19. Modifications to student quarantine policies may be a useful strategy for K-12 schools to safely reduce disruptions to in-person education during times of increased COVID-19 community incidence.
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether modified K-12 student quarantine policies that allow some students to continue in-person education during their quarantine period increase schoolwide SARS-CoV-2 transmission risk following the increase in cases in winter 2020-2021. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of COVID-19 cases and close contacts among students and staff (n = 65,621) in 103 Missouri public schools. Participants were offered free, saliva-based RT-PCR testing. The projected number of school-based transmission events among untested close contacts was extrapolated from the percentage of events detected among tested asymptomatic close contacts and summed with the number of detected events for a projected total. An adjusted Cox regression model compared hazard rates of school-based SARS-CoV-2 infections between schools with a modified versus standard quarantine policy. RESULTS: From January-March 2021, a projected 23 (1%) school-based transmission events occurred among 1,636 school close contacts. There was no difference in the adjusted hazard rates of school-based SARS-CoV-2 infections between schools with a modified versus standard quarantine policy (hazard ratio = 1.00; 95% confidence interval: 0.97-1.03). DISCUSSION: School-based SARS-CoV-2 transmission was rare in 103 K-12 schools implementing multiple COVID-19 prevention strategies. Modified student quarantine policies were not associated with increased school incidence of COVID-19. Modifications to student quarantine policies may be a useful strategy for K-12 schools to safely reduce disruptions to in-person education during times of increased COVID-19 community incidence.
Authors: Clinton R Paden; Ying Tao; Krista Queen; Jing Zhang; Yan Li; Anna Uehara; Suxiang Tong Journal: Emerg Infect Dis Date: 2020-07-01 Impact factor: 6.883
Authors: Rebecca B Hershow; Karen Wu; Nathaniel M Lewis; Alison T Milne; Dustin Currie; Amanda R Smith; Spencer Lloyd; Brian Orleans; Erin L Young; Brandi Freeman; Noah Schwartz; Bobbi Bryant; Catherine Espinosa; Yoshinori Nakazawa; Elizabeth Garza; Olivia Almendares; Winston E Abara; Daniel C Ehlman; Keith Waters; Mary Hill; Ilene Risk; Kelly Oakeson; Jacqueline E Tate; Hannah L Kirking; Angela Dunn; Snigdha Vallabhaneni; Adam L Hersh; Victoria T Chu Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2021-03-26 Impact factor: 17.586
Authors: Patrick Dawson; Mary Claire Worrell; Sara Malone; Sarah C Tinker; Stephanie Fritz; Brett Maricque; Sadaf Junaidi; Gemille Purnell; Albert M Lai; Julie A Neidich; Justin S Lee; Rachel C Orscheln; Rachel Charney; Terri Rebmann; Jon Mooney; Nancy Yoon; Machelle Petit; Spring Schmidt; Jean Grabeel; Lee Ann Neill; Lisa C Barrios; Snigdha Vallabhaneni; Randall W Williams; Clay Goddard; Jason G Newland; John C Neatherlin; Johanna S Salzer Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2021-03-26 Impact factor: 17.586
Authors: Kristine Macartney; Helen E Quinn; Alexis J Pillsbury; Archana Koirala; Lucy Deng; Noni Winkler; Anthea L Katelaris; Matthew V N O'Sullivan; Craig Dalton; Nicholas Wood Journal: Lancet Child Adolesc Health Date: 2020-08-03
Authors: Jeremy A W Gold; Jenna R Gettings; Anne Kimball; Rachel Franklin; Grant Rivera; Elana Morris; Colleen Scott; Paula L Marcet; Marisa Hast; Megan Swanson; Jazmyn McCloud; Lemlem Mehari; Ebony S Thomas; Hannah L Kirking; Jacqueline E Tate; Janet Memark; Cherie Drenzek; Snigdha Vallabhaneni Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2021-02-26 Impact factor: 17.586