Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 May;91(5):347-355.
doi: 10.1111/josh.13008. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

The Experience of 2 Independent Schools With In-Person Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Darria L Gillespie  1 , Lauren A Meyers  2 , Michael Lachmann  3 , Stephen C Redd  4 , Jonathan M Zenilman  5
Affiliations

The Experience of 2 Independent Schools With In-Person Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Darria L Gillespie et al. J Sch Health. 2021 May.

Abstract

Background: In 2020, US schools closed due to SARS-CoV-2 but their role in transmission was unknown. In fall 2020, national guidance for reopening omitted testing or screening recommendations. We report the experience of 2 large independent K-12 schools (School-A and School-B) that implemented an array of SARS-CoV-2 mitigation strategies that included periodic universal testing.

Methods: SARS-CoV-2 was identified through periodic universal PCR testing, self-reporting of tests conducted outside school, and contact tracing. Schools implemented behavioral and structural mitigation measures, including mandatory masks, classroom disinfecting, and social distancing.

Results: Over the fall semester, School-A identified 112 cases in 2320 students and staff; School-B identified 25 cases (2.0%) in 1400 students and staff. Most cases were asymptomatic and none required hospitalization. Of 69 traceable introductions, 63 (91%) were not associated with school-based transmission, 59 cases (54%) occurred in the 2 weeks post-thanksgiving. In 6/7 clusters, clear noncompliance with mitigation protocols was found. The largest outbreak had 28 identified cases and was traced to an off-campus party. There was no transmission from students to staff.

Conclusions: Although school-age children can contract and transmit SARS-CoV-2, rates of COVID-19 infection related to in-person education were significantly lower than those in the surrounding community. However, social activities among students outside of school undermined those measures and should be discouraged, perhaps with behavioral contracts, to ensure the safety of school communities. In addition, introduction risks were highest following extended school breaks. These risks may be mitigated with voluntary quarantines and surveillance testing prior to reopening.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; infection; laboratory screening; primary and secondary schools; transmission.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors did not receive any financial support for this evaluation. and have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Community Incidence Compared With School Introductions Community prevalence (positive tests per 1000 population) of SARS‐CoV‐2 in the schools' surrounding communities at time of testing rounds. Correlation between community confirmed cases per 1000 individuals vs school imported cases per 1000 individuals in school.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Case Incidence‐School A. (B) Case Incidence‐School B
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . CDC COVID Data Tracker. Available at: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid‐data‐tracker/#cases_casesper100klast7days. Accessed January 20, 2021
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Operating schools during COVID‐19: CDC's Considerations. 2020. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019‐ncov/community/schools‐childcare/gu.... Accessed December 29, 2020.
    1. Sharfstein JM, Morphew CC. The urgency and challenge of opening K‐12 schools in the fall of 2020. JAMA. 2020;324(2):133‐134. 10.1001/jama.2020.10175. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Families as Allies . Operating schools during COVID‐19: CDC's Considerations. Updated September 2, 2020. Available at: https://www.faams.org/operating‐schools‐during‐covid‐19‐cdcs‐considerati.... Accessed December 30, 2020.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Interim Considerations for Testing for K‐12 School Administrators and Public Health Officials. 2020. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019‐ncov/community/schools‐childcare/k‐.... Accessed December 30, 2020.