Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

July 29, 2020

Association Between Statewide School Closure and COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality in the US

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  • Auger, et al. conducted a time series analysis for all 50 US states and found that school closures were temporally associated with declines in COVID-19 incidence (adjusted relative change per week, -62% [95% CI, -71% to -49%]) and mortality (adjusted relative change per week, -58% [95% CI, -68% to -46%]) during March 9-May 7, 2020. States in the lowest quartile of COVID-19 cumulative incidence at the time of school closure had the largest relative change in incidence (-72%, [95% CI, –79% to -62%]) versus states in the highest quartile (-49%, [95% CI, -62% to -33%]).  
  • The authors acknowledge that some of the observed declines may have been due to other non-pharmaceutical interventions implemented concurrently with school closures.  

Auger et al. (July 29, 2020). Association Between Statewide School Closure and COVID-19 Incidence and Mortality in the US. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.14348