PlumX Metrics
Embed PlumX Metrics

SARS-CoV-2 infection characteristics among students and staff in a large high school COVID-19 outbreak and secondary transmission in households

Infectious Medicine, ISSN: 2772-431X, Vol: 2, Issue: 1, Page: 36-43
2023
  • 2
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 4
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 2
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    2
  • Captures
    4
  • Social Media
    2
    • Shares, Likes & Comments
      2
      • Facebook
        2

Article Description

SARS-CoV-2 clinical presentation is associated with the patients’ age group. Overall, young individuals present higher proportions of asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection, compared to adults. Data on secondary COVID-19 transmission in households, according to the cases’ age group, are accumulating. We performed a follow-up cohort study including all COVID-19 real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-confirmed cases (adolescent students and school staff) diagnosed in an epidemiological investigation of a large high school outbreak. We compared the adolescent and adult groups regarding clinical symptoms, time to negative COVID-19 RT-PCR tests, and infection transmission in households. The study population included 817 persons. The confirmed COVID-19 RT-PCR outbreak cases ( n  = 178) were followed (students aged 12–19 years, median age 14 years, n  = 153, school staff aged 24–67 years, median age 39 years, n  = 25) and the cases’ household close contacts ( n  = 639) were tested. The adolescents had lower symptomatic infection rates, shorter time to negative COVID-19 RT-PCR tests, and lower transmission rates to household members, compared to the adults. The general transmission rate among household contacts was 13.5%, (86/639) ranging from 8.6% in asymptomatic students’ contacts to 27.3% in symptomatic staff contacts. COVID-19 transmission rates were significantly higher in contacts of symptomatic cases compared to asymptomatic cases (odds ratio: 2.06, 95% CI 1.26–3.4) and higher in adults compared to adolescents (odds ratio: 2.69, 95% CI 1.43–4.89). Adolescents and adults diagnosed in an outbreak investigation differ as to COVID-19 clinical presentation and transmission. As adolescents may show mild or no symptoms, COVID-19 prevention in school settings is challenging. Implementing nonpharmaceutical measures and promoting vaccination programs in eligible staff and students should be considered.

Bibliographic Details

Provide Feedback

Have ideas for a new metric? Would you like to see something else here?Let us know