Clusters of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Elementary School Educators and Students in One School District — Georgia, December 2020–January 2021

Details

• Journal Article:
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Personal Author:
  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 ; Almendares, Olivia ; Balajee, Abirami ; Burnett, Eleanor ; Chancey, Rebecca J. ; Crosby, Deanna ; Donadel, Morgane ; Espinosa, Catherine ; Evans, Mary E. ; Fleming-Dutra, Katherine ; Forero, Catalina ; Forsberg, Kaitlin ; Kukielka, Esther ; Mitruka, Kiren ; Nakayama, Jasmine Y. ; Nakazawa, Yoshinori ; O’Hegarty, Michelle ; Oraka, Emeka ; Pratt, Caroline ; Rice, Marion E. ; Roberts, Gurleen ; Stewart, Roxana Rodriguez ; Sabogal, Raquel ; Sanchez, Emanny ; Velasco-Villa, Andres ; Weng, Mark K.
• Corporate Authors:
  Georgia K–12 School COVID-19 Investigation Team
• Description:
  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 tTesting. 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.
• Subjects:
  Cluster Analysis CoronaVirus Infections COVID-19 Humans Schools School Teachers Students
• Source:
  MMWR Morbidity Mortal Weekly Rep. 70(8):289-292
• Series:
  Weekly Report: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• DOI:
  http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7008e4
• ISSN:
  0149-2195 (print) ; 1545-861X (digital)
• Pubmed ID:
  33630823
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC8344983
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Georgia
• Pages in Document:
  4 pdf pages
• Volume:
  70
• Issue:
  8
• Collection(s):
  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:5597ed72e5f7b950275aa89128513ef4bf5b84f195d25be617000e468b7600c1b12d98a4d187eea4200ccb694b0e2bdd8967ef521bbfe4af873854f3bfa5e665
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/109786/cdc_109786_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 116.81 KB ]