Details:

Personal Author:
Gold, Jeremy A. W. ; Gettings, Jenna R. ; Kimball, Anne ; Franklin, Rachel ; Rivera, Grant ; ... More +
Gold, Jeremy A. W. ; Gettings, Jenna R. ; Kimball, Anne ; Franklin, Rachel ; Rivera, Grant ; Morris, Elana ; Scott, Colleen ; Marcet, Paula L. ; Hast, Marisa ; Swanson, Megan ; McCloud, Jazmyn ; Mehari, Lemlem ; Thomas, Ebony S. ; Kirking, Hannah L. ; Tate, Jacqueline E. ; Memark, Janet ; Drenzek, Cherie ; Vallabhaneni, Snigdha Less -
Corporate Authors:
CDC COVID-19 Response Team. ; Georgia K–12 School COVID-9 Investigation Team. ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Epidemic Intelligence Service. ; Georgia Department of Public Health. ; Cobb & Douglas Public Health. ; ... More +
CDC COVID-19 Response Team. ; Georgia K–12 School COVID-9 Investigation Team. ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Epidemic Intelligence Service. ; Georgia Department of Public Health. ; Cobb & Douglas Public Health. ; Marietta City Schools (Marietta, Ga.) Less -
Description:
What is already known about this topic? In-person learning provides important benefits to children and communities. Understanding SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools is critical to improving the safety of in-person learning.

What is added by this report? An investigation of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a Georgia school district during December 1, 2020–January 22, 2021, identified nine clusters of COVID-19 cases involving 13 educators and 32 students at six elementary schools. Two clusters involved probable educator-to-educator transmission that was followed by educator-to-student transmission in classrooms and resulted in approximately one half (15 of 31) of school-associated cases.

What are the implications for public health practice? Educators might play a central role in in-school transmission networks. Preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections through multifaceted school mitigation measures and COVID-19 vaccination of educators is a critical component of preventing in-school transmission.

In-person learning benefits children and communities (1). Understanding the context in which transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), occurs in schools is critical to improving the safety of in-person learning. During December 1, 2020–January 22, 2021, Cobb and Douglas Public Health (CDPH), the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), and CDC investigated SARS-CoV-2 transmission in eight public elementary schools in a single school district. COVID-19 cases* among educators and students were either self-reported or identified by local public health officials. Close contacts (contacts)† of persons with a COVID-19 case received testing. Among contacts who received positive test results, public health investigators assessed epidemiologic links, probable transmission directionality, and the likelihood of in-school transmission.§ Nine clusters of three or more epidemiologically linked COVID-19 cases were identified involving 13 educators and 32 students at six of the eight elementary schools. Two clusters involved probable educator-to-educator transmission that was followed by educator-to-student transmission and resulted in approximately one half (15 of 31) of school-associated cases. Sixty-nine household members of persons with school-associated cases were tested, and 18 (26%) received positive results. All nine transmission clusters involved less than ideal physical distancing, and five involved inadequate mask use by students. Educators were central to in-school transmission networks. Multifaceted mitigation measures in schools, including promotion of COVID-19 precautions outside of school, minimizing in-person adult interactions at school, and ensuring universal and correct mask use and physical distancing among educators and students when in-person interaction is unavoidable, are important in preventing in-school transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Although not required for reopening schools, COVID-19 vaccination should be considered as an additional mitigation measure to be added when available.

During the investigation period, which included 24 in-person school days during December 1, 2020–January 22, 2021, approximately 2,600 students (approximately 80% of the district’s elementary school students) and 700 staff members attended elementary school in person. During this period, COVID-19 incidence (7-day moving average number of cases per 100,000 persons) in Cobb County, Georgia, increased almost 300%, from 152 to 577 cases.¶ COVID-19 cases among educators and students attending in-person school were either self-reported to the school district or identified by local public health officials through laboratory results. Contacts who were exposed to persons with COVID-19 in school were identified by school officials, advised to quarantine based on local health department guidelines,** and referred to the investigation team.

Suggested citation for this article: Gold JA, Gettings JR, Kimball A, et al. Clusters of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Elementary School Educators and Students in One School District — Georgia, December 2020–January 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. ePub: 22 February 2021.

mm7008e4.htm?s_cid=mm7008e4_w

mm7008e4-H.pdf


Subject:
[+]
Child Coronavirus Infections COVID-19 Disease Transmission, Infectious Schools School Teachers Students
Series:
MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report ; v. 70, early release, February 22, 2021
Document Type:
Journal Article
Place as Subject:
Georgia
Collection(s):
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:d796d97239876c5ec59d68c710df0e804d570ff843a57cdf60e586b240ab5fb5
Download URL:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/103142/cdc_103142_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• mm7008e4.htm

  htm

More +