Eurosurv. SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission in school settings during the second COVID-19 wave: a cross-sectional study, Berlin, Germany, November

[tetano]

• Stefanie Theuring[SUP]1,*[/SUP] , Marlene Thielecke[SUP]1,*[/SUP] , Welmoed van Loon[SUP]1,*[/SUP] , Franziska Hommes[SUP]1[/SUP] , Claudia Hülso[SUP]1[/SUP] , Annkathrin von der Haar[SUP]1[/SUP] , Jennifer Körner[SUP]1[/SUP] , Michael Schmidt[SUP]2[/SUP] , Falko Böhringer[SUP]3[/SUP] , Marcus A Mall[SUP]4[/SUP] , Alexander Rosen[SUP]4[/SUP] , Christof von Kalle[SUP]5[/SUP] , Valerie Kirchberger[SUP]6[/SUP] , Tobias Kurth[SUP]7[/SUP] , Joachim Seybold[SUP]6[/SUP] , Frank P Mockenhaupt[SUP]1[/SUP] , BECOSS Study Group[SUP]8[/SUP]

Background

School attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic is intensely debated.

Aim

In November 2020, we assessed SARS-CoV-2 infections and seroreactivity in 24 randomly selected school classes and connected households in Berlin, Germany.

Methods

We collected oro-nasopharyngeal swabs and blood samples, examining SARS-CoV-2 infection and IgG antibodies by RT-PCR and ELISA. Household members self-swabbed. We assessed individual and institutional prevention measures. Classes with SARS-CoV-2 infection and connected households were retested after 1 week.

Results

We examined 1,119 participants, including 177 primary and 175 secondary school students, 142 staff and 625 household members. SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred in eight classes, affecting each 1–2 individuals. Infection prevalence was 2.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2–5.0; 9/338), 1.4% (95% CI: 0.2–5.1; 2/140), and 2.3% (95% CI: 1.3–3.8; 14/611) among students, staff and household members. Six of nine infected students were asymptomatic at testing. We detected IgG antibodies in 2.0% (95%CI: 0.8–4.1; 7/347), 1.4% (95% CI: 0.2–5.0; 2/141) and 1.4% (95% CI: 0.6–2.7; 8/576). Prevalence increased with inconsistent facemask-use in school, walking to school, and case-contacts outside school. For three of nine households with infection(s), origin in school seemed possible. After 1 week, no school-related secondary infections appeared in affected classes; the attack rate in connected households was 1.1%.

Conclusion

School attendance under rigorously implemented preventive measures seems reasonable. Balancing risks and benefits of school closures need to consider possible spill-over infection into households. Deeper insight is required into the infection risks due to being a schoolchild vs attending school.


full article


https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.34.2100184#abstract_content