1. COVID-19 infections in English schools and the households of students and staff 2020-21: a self-controlled case-series analysis.
- Author
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McClenaghan E, Nguipdop-Djomo P, Lewin A, Warren-Gash C, Cook S, and Mangtani P
- Subjects
- Humans, Child, England epidemiology, Incidence, Female, Male, Adolescent, Adult, Young Adult, Middle Aged, COVID-19 epidemiology, COVID-19 transmission, Schools, SARS-CoV-2, Students statistics & numerical data, Family Characteristics
- Abstract
Background: The role of children and staff in SARS-CoV-2 transmission outside and within households is still not fully understood when large numbers are in regular, frequent contact in schools., Methods: We used the self-controlled case-series method during the alpha- and delta-dominant periods to explore the incidence of infection in periods around a household member infection, relative to periods without household infection, in a cohort of primary and secondary English schoolchildren and staff from November 2020 to July 2021., Results: We found the relative incidence of infection in students and staff was highest in the 1-7 days following household infection, remaining high up to 14 days after, with risk also elevated in the 6--12 days before household infection. Younger students had a higher relative incidence following household infection, suggesting household transmission may play a more prominent role compared with older students. The relative incidence was also higher among students in the alpha variant dominant period., Conclusions: This analysis suggests SARS-CoV2 infection in children, young people and staff at English schools were more likely to be associated with within-household transmission than from outside the household, but that a small increased risk of seeding from outside is observed., (© The Author(s) 2024; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.)
- Published
- 2024
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