Research Suggests That Schools Can Safely Reopen With Proper Mitigation Strategies

Subject to masking and distancing, cases introduced into a school are unlikely to result in community transmission.

A pilot study found that with controlled community transmission and moderate mitigation strategies, schools can reopen safely. Asymptomatic screening is an identified mitigation strategy that could facilitate reopening at a higher local incidence, while minimizing transmission risk. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Harvard University, Stanford University and Massachusetts General Hospital used a simulation model to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools. The model took into account the average class size in the US for both primary and secondary schools. Interactions within schools and homes, as well as those between households outside school, were included. Mitigating strategies included isolation of symptomatic individuals, quarantine of an infected individual’s contacts, smaller classes, alternate schedules, staff vaccination, and weekly asymptomatic screening. Transmission was projected among students, staff and families after a single infection in school and over a quarter of 8 weeks, depending on local incidence.

The data showed that school transmission varied according to student age and local incidence and was significantly reduced with mitigating measures, such as teacher vaccination, masking, social distancing and asymptomatic screening. The testing was instrumental because when transmission occurs it can be difficult to detect as most school-aged children experience asymptomatic or mild infections. While the data suggest that reopening with careful mitigation strategies is safe, the authors noted that the risk of transmission was significantly higher in high schools than elementary schools.

An accompanying New York City Health + Hospitals editorial suggests that during the pandemic, the number of emergency room visits for children ages 5 to 11 and 12 to 17 associated with mental health increased by about 24% and 31%, respectively. . Isolation associated with distance learning may be partly to blame. As such, personal learning is one of the most powerful tools available to support the mental health of children and adolescents. Based on science, local, state, and federal agencies should prioritize effective interventions that enable the benefits of personalized education while protecting the safety of both students and educators.

References:

June 7, 2021, Annals of Internal Medicine.
DOI: 10.7326 / M21-0600

June 7, 2021, Annals of Internal Medicine.
DOI: 10.7326 / M21-2291