Children and adolescents’ experiences of mandatory SARS-CoV-2 testing in schools: a cross-sectional survey

Background Public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic had dramatic consequences for children and adolescents. However, policy-makers and healthcare researchers did not give sufficient weight to children’s perspectives. One common public health measure was mandatory SARS-CoV-2 tests in schools. This study examines the evaluation of such mandatory testing.Methods We investigated the effects of test type (pooled PCR tests vs antigen rapid tests) and demographic and psychological factors on evaluations of the experience of being tested. A total of 569 children (8–17 years) in two major German cities completed online questionnaires between October and December 2021. Participants answered questions addressing test evaluation, vaccination status, pandemic-related stress, mental health difficulties and health-related quality of life.Results Our results showed that overall test ratings were better for pooled PCR tests (p