Estimating the impact of reopening schools on the reproduction number of SARS-CoV-2 in England, using weekly contact survey data.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Schools were closed in England on 4 January 2021 as part of increased national restrictions to curb transmission of SARS-CoV-2. The UK government reopened schools on 8 March. Although there was evidence of lower individual-level transmission risk amongst children compared to adults, the combined effects of this with increased contact rates in school settings and the resulting impact on the overall transmission rate in the population were not clear.

Methods

We measured social contacts of > 5000 participants weekly from March 2020, including periods when schools were both open and closed, amongst other restrictions. We combined these data with estimates of the susceptibility and infectiousness of children compared with adults to estimate the impact of reopening scho

SUBMITTER: Munday JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8428960 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature