Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection among staff and students in a cohort of English primary and secondary schools during 2020-2021.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There remains uncertainty about the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 among school students and staff and the extent to which non-pharmaceutical-interventions reduce the risk of school settings.

Methods

We conducted an open cohort study in a sample of 59 primary and 97 secondary schools in 15 English local authority areas that were implementing government guidance to schools open during the pandemic. We estimated SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence among those attending school, antibody prevalence, and antibody negative to positive conversion rates in staff and students over the school year (November 2020-July 2021).

Findings

22,585 staff and students participated. SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence among those attending school was highest during the first two rounds of

SUBMITTER: Hargreaves JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9398464 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature