Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objective
To quantify the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in secondary schools after their reopening in May 2020.Design
Repeated SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence study after the reopening of schools and 4 months later.Setting
Secondary school in Dresden, Germany.Participants
1538 students grades 8-12 and 507 teachers from 13 schools.Interventions
Serial blood sampling and SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody assessment.Primary and secondary outcome measure
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in study population. Number of undetected cases.Results
1538 students and 507 teachers were initially enrolled, and 1334 students and 445 teachers completed both study visits. The seroprevalence for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was 0.6% in May/June and the same in September/October. Even in schools with reported COVID-19 cases before the lockdown of 13 March, no clusters could be identified. Of 12 persons with positive serology five had a known history of confirmed COVID-19; 23 out of 24 participants with a household history of COVID-91 were seronegative.Conclusions
Schools do not play a crucial role in driving the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in a low-prevalence setting. Transmission in families occurs very infrequently, and the number of unreported cases is low in this age group. These observations do not support school closures as a strategy fighting the pandemic in a low-prevalence setting.Trial registration number
DRKS00022455.
SUBMITTER: Kirsten C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8193693 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
BMJ open 20210610 6
<h4>Objective</h4>To quantify the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections in secondary schools after their reopening in May 2020.<h4>Design</h4>Repeated SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence study after the reopening of schools and 4 months later.<h4>Setting</h4>Secondary school in Dresden, Germany.<h4>Participants</h4>1538 students grades 8-12 and 507 teachers from 13 schools.<h4>Interventions</h4>Serial blood sampling and SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody assessment.<h4>Primary and secondary outcome measure</h4>Seroprevale ...[more]