Search

Purpose To quantify the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in students and teachers in 14 Secondary schools in eastern Saxony, Germany. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in study population. Number of undetected cases. Methods Serial seroprevalence study. Results The role of educational settings in the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic is still controversial. Seroprevalence increases from 0.8 to 5.9% from October to December when schools remained open and to 12.2% in March/April during a strict lockdown with closed schools. The ratio of undetected to detected cases decreased from 0.76 to 0.44 during the study period. Conclusion During the second and third wave of the pandemic in Germany, students and teachers are not overrepresented in SARS-CoV-2 infections. The percentage of undetected cases is moderate and decreases over time. The risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 within the household is higher than contracting it in educational settings making school closures rather ineffective in terms of pandemic control measures or individual risk reduction in children and adolescents. Trial registration DRKS00022455 (July 23rd, 2020).

Objective To evaluate the role of childcare facilities in the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a longitudinal study to gain further knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 prevalence, transmission, and spread among preschool children, their parents, and their caregivers. Study design Children aged 1-6 years, their parents, and their caregivers in 14 childcare facilities in Dresden, Saxony/Germany were invited to participate in the KiTaCoviDD19-study between July 2020 and January 2021. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was assessed up to 4 times during the study period in all participating adults, and demographic characteristics, as well as epidemiologic information on personal SARS-CoV-2 history were obtained. Samples for stool virus shedding of SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction every 2-4 weeks in all participating children. Results In total, 318 children, 299 parents and 233 childcare workers were enrolled. By January 2021, 11% of the participating adults were found to be seropositive, whereas the percentage of children shedding SARS-CoV-2 was 6.8%. Overall, we detected 17 children with SARS-CoV-2 virus shedding in 8 different childcare facilities. In 4 facilities, there were a maximum of 3 connected cases in children. Approximately 50% of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the children could not be connected to a secondary case in our study population. Conclusions This study does not provide evidence of relevant asymptomatic (“silent”) spread of SARS-CoV-2 in childcare facilities in both low- and high-prevalence settings. Our findings add to the evidence that childcare and educational settings do not have a crucial role in driving the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

In the COVID-19 pandemic, children were considered to play a major role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission similar to influenza. Thus, mitigation measures have been focused on children, impacting their everyday life severely. However, infectivity in this age group regarding SARS-CoV-2 is not yet clarified. We performed a serology study in households with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection to evaluate virus transmission with focus on children and adolescents. Between January and July 2021, 341 minors and 650 adults from 300 households with a confirmed index case participated in the FamilyCoviDD19-study including serological assessment for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and a questionnaire on demographics, recent and ongoing symptoms, hygiene measures and comorbidities. 45 (16.3%) of all index cases were

ObjectiveTo quantify the number of undetected SARS-CoV-2 infections in educational settings.DesignSerial SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence study before and during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.SettingSecondary school in Dresden, Germany.ParticipantsGrade 8–12 students and their teachers were invited to participate in serial blood sampling and SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody assessment.Main outcome measureSeroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in study population.Results247 students and 55 teachers participated in the initial study visit and 197 students and 40 teachers completed follow-up. Seroprevalence increased from 1.7% (0.3–3.3) to 6.8% (3.8–10.1) during the study period mirroring the increase of officially reported SARS-CoV-2 infections during this time. The ratio of undetected to detected SARS-CoV-2 infections ranged from 0.25 to 0.33.ConclusionsWe could not find evidence of relevant silent, asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2 in schools neither in a low prevalence setting nor during the second wave of the pandemic, making it unlikely that educational settings play a crucial role in driving the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.Trial registration numberDRKS00022455.

Post-COVID19 complications such as pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS) and Long-COVID19 move increasingly into focus, potentially causing more harm in young adolescents than the acute infection. To better understand the symptoms of long-term mental health outcomes in adolescents and distinguish infection-associated symptoms from pandemic-associated symptoms, we conducted a 12 question Long-COVID19 survey. Using this survey, we compared the responses on neurocognitive, general pain and mood symptoms from seropositive and seronegative adolescents in a cross-sectional study design. Since May 2020, students grade 8–12 in fourteen secondary schools in Eastern Saxony were enrolled in the SchoolCovid19 study. Serostatus was assessed regularly in all participants. In March/April 2021, 1560 students with a median age of 15 years participated at the regular study visit after re-opening of the schools in mid-March and responded to our Long-COVID19 survey as part of this visit. 1365 (88%) students were seronegative, 188 (12%) were seropositive. Each symptom asked in the Long-COVID19 survey was present in at least 35% of the students within the last seven days before the survey. With the exception of seropositive students being less sad, there was no significant difference comparing the reported symptoms between seropositive students and seronegative students. The lack of differences comparing the reported symptoms between seropositive and seronegative students suggests that Long-COVID19 might be less common than previously thought and emphasizes on the impact of pandemic-associated symptoms regarding the well-being and mental health of young adolescents.Clinical Trial Registration: SchoolCoviDD19: Prospektive Erfassung der SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivität bei Schulkindern nach Ende der unterrichtsfreien Zeit aufgrund der Corona-Schutz-Verordnung (COVID-19), DRKS00022455, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00022455

Backround: Post-COVID19 complications such as pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS) and Long-COVID19 move increasingly into focus, potentially causing more harm in this age group than the acute infection. To better understand the symptoms of long-COVID19 in adolescents and to distinguish infection-associated symptoms from pandemic-associated symptoms, we conducted a Long-COVID19 survey, comparing responses from seropositive and seronegative adolescents. To our knowledge, data of Long-COVID19 surveys with seronegative control groups have not been published yet. Methods: Since May 2020 students grade 8-12 in fourteen secondary schools in Eastern Saxony were enrolled in the SchoolCovid19 study. Seroprevalence was assessed via serial SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing in all participants. Furthermore, during the March/April 2021 study visit all participants were asked to complete a 12 question Long-COVID19 survey regarding the occurrence and frequency of difficulties concentrating, memory loss, listlessness, headache, abdominal pain, myalgia/ arthralgia, fatigue, insomnia and mood (sadness, anger, happiness and tenseness). Findings: 1560 students with a median age of 15 years participated in this study. 1365 (88%) were seronegative, 188 (12%) were seropositive. Each symptom was present in at least 35% of the students within the last seven days before the survey. However, there was no statistical difference comparing the reported symptoms between seropositive students and seronegative students. Whether the infection was known or unknown to the participant did not influence the prevalence of symptoms. Interpretation: The lack of differences comparing the reported symptoms between seropositive and seronegative students suggests that Long-COVID19 might be less common than previously thought and emphasizing the impact of pandemic-associated symptoms regarding the well-being and mental health of young adolescents. Trial Registration: Clinical trial number DRKS00022455. SchoolCoviDD19: Prospektive Erfassung der SARS-CoV-2 Seropositivitat bei Schulkindern nach Ende der unterrichtsfreien Zeit aufgrund der Corona-Schutz-Verordnung (COVID- 19), DRKS00022455, https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do?navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00022455 Funding: This study was supported by a grant by the Federal State of Saxony. M.K.W. was supported by the Else Kroner-Fresenius Center for Digital Health (EKFZ), TU Dresden, Germany. Declaration of Interests: Reinhard Berner and Jakob P. Armann report grants from the Federal State of Saxony during the conduct of the study. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. Ethics Approval Statement: The SchoolCoviDD19 study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Technische Universitat (TU) Dresden (BO-EK-156042020).

PurposeComparing seroprevalence and antibody kinetics in three different commercially available assays for SARS-CoV-2.MethodsSerostatus of COVID-19 patients was analyzed 5 months and 10 months after their infection, using three different assays: Diasorin LIAISON®, Euroimmun®, Abbott Diagnostics® ARCHITECT.ResultsSeropositivity at baseline differed significantly depending on the assay (Diasorin 81%, Euroimmun 83%, Abbott 59%). At follow-up antibody levels detected in the Diasorin assay were stable, while there was a significant loss in seropositivity in the Euroimmun and Abbott assays.ConclusionThere are significant differences in SARS-CoV-2 antibody kinetics based on the specific assay used.Trial registration number, date of registrationDRKS00022549, 29.07.2020 “retrospectively registered”

ObjectivesPrevious data indicate that children might play a less crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission than initially assumed. We conducted a study to gain further knowledge on prevalence, transmission and spread of SARS-CoV-2 among preschool children, their parents and caretakers.MethodsChildren, their parents and care givers in 14 childcare facilities in Dresden, Saxony/ Germany were invited to participate in the KiTaCoviDD19-study between July 2020 and January 2021. Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was assessed up to 4 times during the study period in all participating adults and personal characteristics as well as epidemiological information of personal SARS-CoV-2 history were obtained. Stool viral shedding of SARS-CoV-2 was analyzed every 2-4 weeks in all participating children.ResultsIn total, 318 children, 299 parents and 233 childcare workers were enrolled. The percentage of seropositive adults and SARS-CoV-2 positive detected children rose considerably by January 2021. However, the rate of SARS-CoV-2 positive children was considerably lower than the rate of seropositive adults. Overall, we detected a maximum of three connected cases in children. About 50% of SARS-CoV-2 infections in children could not be connected to a secondary case within our study population.ConclusionThe study could not provide evidence for a relevant asymptomatic (“silent”) spread of SARS-CoV-2 in childcare facilities, neither in a low nor a high prevalence setting. This finding adds to the evidence that childcare and educational settings do not play a crucial role in driving the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.Table of Contents SummaryThis longitudinal study among children, parents and childcare workers provides further insight on SARS-CoV-2 prevalence and transmission within childcare facilities.What’s Known on This SubjectBased on age distribution of SARS-CoV-2 infections and previous data of very limited spread of COVID-19 among primary and secondary schools there is reason to believe that children play a less crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission than initially assumed.What This Study AddsPreviously published studies focus mainly on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools. This longitudinal study provides information on prevalence, transmission and spread of SARS-CoV-2 within childcare facilities during low- and high-prevalence settings.

Background: While lockdown and social distancing measures effectively reduce transmission rates of SARS-CoV-2 in public spaces crowded indoor spaces remain a significant venue for SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Analyzing seroprevalence in households with confirmed index-cases we can assess transmissibility and risk factors associated with infectivity and susceptibility more accurately than PCR based studies. Methods: Households with a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected member in Dresden (Saxony, Germany) were invited to participate in the FamilyCoviDD19 study between June 2020 and January 2021. Personal history and characteristics of the households were obtained and seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was assessed. Findings:150 households with 414 participating household-members were enrolled. 51% of all study participants were seropositive. The secondary attack rate (SAR) in households with an index-case < 18 years was 0·15 compared to 0·38 in households with an adult index-case. In 56% of the households there was no detectable transmission. Temporal separation and mask wearing reduced transmissions as well as the likelihood of all household members being seropositive significantly. Interpretation: Household transmissions are detected more frequently by seroprevalence than observed in PCR based studies. Children and adolescents are less likely to transmit the disease compared to adults. Temporal separation and mask wearing reduces transmission rates in households significantly. Trial Registration: clinical trial number DRKS00022564 Funding Statement: This study was supported by a grant by the Federal State of Saxony. Declaration of Interests: Dr. Berner reports grants from Federal State of Saxony/Germany, during the conduct of the study; Dr. Dalpke reports grants from Federal State of Saxony, during the conduct of the study; Dr. Armann reports grants from Federal State of Saxony, during the conduct of the study; all other authors have nothing to disclose. Ethics Approval Statement: The investigation is part of the FamilyCoviDD19-study which was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Technische Universitat (TU) Dresden (BO-EK 342072020).