Screening Students and Staff for Asymptomatic Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Chicago Schools.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To assess rates of asymptomatic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) positivity in K-8 schools with risk mitigation procedures in place, and to evaluate SARS-CoV-2 transmission in school and household contacts of these positive individuals.

Study design

In this prospective observational study, screening testing for SARS-CoV-2 was performed by oropharyngeal swabbing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis in students and staff at K-8 private schools in high-risk Chicago ZIP codes. New coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) diagnoses or symptoms among participants, household contacts, and nonparticipants in each school were queried.

Results

Among 11 K-8 private schools across 8 Chicago ZIP codes, 468 participants (346 students, 122 s

SUBMITTER: Edward PR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8372436 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature