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Child-to-child SARS-CoV-2 spread rare in German schools

Researchers at the University of Tübingen, Germany, Robert Koch-Institute Berlin and European Programme of Intervention Epidemiology Training (EPIET), Stockholm, Sweden report that child-to-child transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, appeared very uncommon after schools and childcare facilities in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg reopened.

To gain a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools and childcare facilities in Baden-Wurttemberg after they reopened in May, the researchers compiled and analysed data from infected children (ages 0 to 19 years) who had been to those schools and childcare facilities from 25 May to 5 August.

In total, 557 cases were reported during the study period (representing 17.9% of all 3,104 reported cases in the state), and information in school attendance was available for 453. Of these cases, 137 attended school or childcare facilities for at least 1 day in their infectious period, while 316 were at home during their entire infectious period.

More than 2,300 naso-pharyngeal swabs were taken from the close contacts (teachers and students) of the 137 index cases, and from close contacts of secondary cases. Overall, 6 of the 137 index cases were found to have infected 11 additional pupils, and no secondary infections could be detected for the remaining cases, despite extensive contact tracing and swabbing of contacts. All remaining cases with information on school and childcare attendance were caused by other sources.

Based on these data, the researchers estimate one secondary case per roughly 25 infectious school days.

"Our investigation suggests that child-to-child transmission in schools and childcare facilities is uncommon and not the primary cause of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children," the authors of the study wrote.

Abstract
To gain further understanding on paediatric transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the school/childcare-facility context, we compiled and analysed data from SARS-CoV-2 infected children (age: 0–19 years), who had been to school/childcare facilities, after such establishments reopened in Baden-Württemberg in May 2020.

Authors
J Ehrhardt, A Ekinci, H Krehl, M Meincke, I Finci, J Klein, B Geisel, C Wagner-Wiening, M Eichner, SO Brockmann

 

[link url="https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/09/covid-19-scan-sep-11-2020?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Daily%20Health%20Policy%20Report&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=95185376&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9CXKznZBEWYa_fzXq5D5e73ESiiqx-eNfyde6ZdE1PebNVL1eEhr7uEofionrTfBfa7DeC45R8c7kRufRxRTwdfbY9yw&utm_content=95185376&utm_source=hs_email"]CIDRAP material[/link]

 

[link url="https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.36.2001587#html_fulltext"]Eurosurveillance abstract[/link]

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