February 8, 2021

COVID-19 Transmission in Educational Institutions August to December 2020 Rhineland-Palatinate Germany a Study of Index Cases and Close Contact Cohorts

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Transmission

Keywords (Tags): schools, transmission

[Pre-print, not peer-reviewed] A study of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in schools and daycare centers in Germany from August-December 2020 showed that the risk of infection among contacts of a confirmed COVID-19 case was low but varied depending on type of educational institution and whether the case was a teacher or student/child. Out of 784 index cases, one of six cases caused a transmission in educational institutions. Risk of transmission was higher among teachers than students/children (IRR = 3.2), and among index cases in day-care centers than secondary schools (IRR = 3.2). In 748 index cases, teachers caused four times more secondary cases than children (IRR = 4.4), mainly attributed to transmission from teacher index case to teacher contact. 

Schoeps et al. (Feb 8, 2021). COVID-19 Transmission in Educational Institutions August to December 2020 Rhineland-Palatinate Germany a Study of Index Cases and Close Contact Cohorts. Pre-print downloaded Feb 8 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.02.04.21250670