COVID-19 study in Australia confirms low transmission in educational
settings
Transmission of COVID-19 in schools is less than other respiratory
viruses

Date:
August 4, 2020
Source:
University of Sydney
Summary:
New research from Australia finds COVID-19 transmission rates in
New South Wales schools and early childcare education and care
settings were minimal, particularly between children and from
children to adults.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
The rate of COVID-19 transmission in New South Wales (NSW) educational
settings was extremely limited during the first wave of COVID-19,
research findings published today in The Lancet Child and Adolescent
Health have shown.


========================================================================== Researchers from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and
Surveillance (NCIRS) and the University of Sydney released their
preliminary findings from this work from January to April 2020.

The Lancet publication today contains detailed analysis on COVID-19
spread in 25 educational settings (15 schools and 10 childcare settings)
in Term 1.

Additional data from Term 2 and 3 are also available today.

Lead author Professor Kristine Macartney said the study showed
transmission rates in NSW schools and early childhood education and care
(ECEC) services were minimal, particularly between children and from
children to adults.

"This is the first comprehensive population-based assessment of
coronavirus transmission in educational settings worldwide," Professor Macartney said.

"COVID-19 transmission in schools appears to be considerably less than
that seen for other respiratory viruses, such as influenza.



========================================================================== "This supports the previous findings that COVID-19 transmission in
educational settings can be kept low and manageable in the context
of an effective pandemic response that includes contact tracing and
quarantine, and temporary school closures for cleaning if someone is
found to be infected.

"It is also consistent with other data that show lower rates, and
generally milder disease, in children than in adults.

"However, it is important to view these findings in the context of the
NSW outbreak. Higher rates of transmission may occur in areas with higher levels of virus transmission in the community or with less rigorous
public health and community response." In Term 1 and 2 there have been
33 initial cases of COVID-19 confirmed at 31 of NSW's 7700 schools and
ECEC services, with 25 sites in Term 1 and six during Term 2 affected.

In Term 1 and 2, a total of 16 students and 17 adult staff were the
first cases who tested positive for the virus.



==========================================================================
Out of 1333 close contacts in primary and high schools, just five (0.4%) possible secondary infections were recorded across Terms 1 and 2: one
primary student, two high school students, one primary teacher and one
high school teacher.

Initial cases were also seen in 11 ECEC services across Term 1 and 2,
with 13 possible secondary infections recorded out of 636 close contacts.

All 13 secondary cases (7 children and 6 staff) were linked to an outbreak
at a single ECEC service early in Term 1 that started initially in staff members. No secondary cases were identified in the other 10 ECEC services.

This observational study is continuing in Term 3 in NSW (July --
September).

Data for Term 3 is preliminary but as at 3 August, there have been 11
cases (3 staff members and 8 students) with two secondary infections
being recorded in one primary school and one ECEC service.

"We know anyone of any age can be infected and potentially spread the
virus," Prof Macartney said.

"But understanding how the virus spreads in our context will assist
modellers, policymakers, healthcare providers, and the public to
understand the risk of COVID-19 in educational settings and help in
decision making around school closures and re-openings."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Sydney. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Related Multimedia:
*
YouTube_video:_Infection_and_immunity_masterclass:_COVID-19_in_children ========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Kristine Macartney, Helen E Quinn, Alexis J Pillsbury, Archana
Koirala,
Lucy Deng, Noni Winkler, Anthea L Katelaris, Matthew V N O'Sullivan,
Craig Dalton, Nicholas Wood, D Brogan, C Glover, N Dinsmore,
A Dunn, A Jadhav, R Joyce, R Kandasamy, K Meredith, L Pelayo,
L Rost, G Saravanos, S Bag, S Corbett, M Staff, K Alexander,
S Conaty, K Leadbeater, B Forssman, S Kakar, D Dwyer, J Kok,
K Chant. Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Australian educational
settings: a prospective cohort study. The Lancet Child & Adolescent
Health, 2020; DOI: 10.1016/S2352-4642(20)30251-0 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200804100225.htm

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