Dataset Information

North Carolina public school teachers' contact patterns and mask use within and outside of school during the prevaccine phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Teachers are central to school-associated transmission networks, but little is known about their behavioral patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 700 North Carolina public school teachers in 4 districts open to in-person learning in November-December 2020 (pre-COVID-19 vaccines). We assessed indoor and outdoor time spent, numbers of people encountered at <6 feet ("close contacts"), and mask use by teachers and those around them at specific locations on the most recent weekday and weekend day.

Results

Nearly all respondents reported indoor time at home (98%) and school (94%) on the most recent weekday, while 62% reported indoor time at stores, 18% at someone else's home, and 17% at bars/restaurants. Responses were similar for the most recent weekend day, excepting school (where 5% reported indoor time). Most teachers (>94%) reported wearing masks inside school, stores, and salons; intermediate percentages (∼50%-85%) inside places of worship, bars/restaurants, and recreational settings; and few (<25%) in their or others' homes. Approximately half reported daily close contact with students.

Conclusions

As schools reopened in the COVID-19 pandemic, potential transmission opportunities arose through close contacts within and outside of school, along with suboptimal mask use by teachers and/or those around them. Our granular estimates underscore the importance of multilayered mitigation strategies and can inform interventions and mathematical models addressing school-associated transmission.

SUBMITTER: Powers KA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8714247 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

North Carolina public school teachers' contact patterns and mask use within and outside of school during the prevaccine phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Powers Kimberly A KA Sullivan Kristin M KM Zadrozny Sabrina L SL Shook-Sa Bonnie E BE Byrnes Rosemary R Bogojevich David A DA Lauen Douglas L DL Thompson Peyton P Robinson Whitney R WR Gordon-Larsen Penny P Aiello Allison E AE

American journal of infection control 20211229 6

<h4>Background</h4>Teachers are central to school-associated transmission networks, but little is known about their behavioral patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic.<h4>Methods</h4>We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 700 North Carolina public school teachers in 4 districts open to in-person learning in November-December 2020 (pre-COVID-19 vaccines). We assessed indoor and outdoor time spent, numbers of people encountered at <6 feet ("close contacts"), and mask use by teachers and those arou ...[more]

PMID: 34971715

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Dataset Information

North Carolina public school teachers' contact patterns and mask use within and outside of school during the prevaccine phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

North Carolina public school teachers' contact patterns and mask use within and outside of school during the prevaccine phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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