CDC researchers see little evidence that school causes COVID-19 infection

(Reuters) – Studies in the United States and abroad have found little evidence that schools are spreading COVID-19 infections, which show a “way forward” for personal classes, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found. Prevention (CDC) said Tuesday. .

In many countries, including the United States, there is a risk of catching COVID-19 in schools and of learning in person or continuing with online classes.

Although there was evidence of transfer within the school, “the predominance of available evidence of the fall school career was reassuring,” the researchers said in an opinion piece on the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network. (bit.ly/3a69ZOn)

“As many schools in some parts of the U.S. as well as internationally have reopened for personal education, school-related cases of COVID-19 have been reported, but there is little evidence that schools have contributed significantly to greater community dissemination.” Said the CDC.

The authors partially pointed to a new CDC study of rural schools in Wisconsin, where the wearing of student mask was high. The prevalence of COVID-19 in the 17 basic high schools was 37% lower than in the wider community, and no persons got infections at school.

“Given the findings of our dataset, with proper precautions such as the removal and wearing of face masks, it appears that adults of the school staff are unlikely to contract COVID-19 in the classroom,” said author Amy Falk of Aspirus Hospitals and clinics studied. , said in an email response.

CDC scientists at JAMA said the closure of schools could affect academic progress, mental health and access to essential services.

They said that mitigation measures such as universal mask use, social distance and ventilation are the key to avoiding infection.

In the Wisconsin study, only seven of 191 cases (3.7%) identified among 5,530 students and staff members during the period August 31 to November 29, 2020, were associated with school transfer, all among students.

Social distance is required and wears more than 92% of the mask. Classes are offered in stable groups, with lunch and classes taking place indoors. However, no systematic COVID-19 investigation has been conducted in schools or the community, and according to some study teachers, wearing a student mask has only been mapped, according to the Wisconsin study, published in the CDC’s weekly report on morbidity and mortality. .

The researchers found widespread virus transmission in the surrounding community during the study period, with 7% to 40% of Wood County COVID-19 tests showing positive results.

COVID-19 prevalence among students and staff members in the study translated into 3,453 cases per 100,000 in schools compared to 5,466 per 100,000 in the wider community.