Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

March 17, 2021

SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology on a Public University Campus in Washington State

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  • [Pre-print, not peer-reviewed] A SARS-CoV-2 testing program at the University of Washington found that SARS-CoV-2 spread through school-based outbreaks without evidence of spread to the surrounding community. The testing program, which prioritized individuals with symptoms and high-risk exposure, identified 236 cases out of 16,476 tests conducted in the fall of 2020. Affiliation with a university fraternity or sorority was the strongest risk factor associated with testing positive. 52 out of 59 viral genomes sequenced from students affiliated with the fraternity/sorority community were genetically identical to at least one other genome detected, compared to 11 out of 29 genomes from non-fraternity/sorority -affiliated students and employees. Most (75%) cases reported at least one of the following: experiencing SARS-CoV-2 symptoms (61%), exposure to a case (35%), or engaging in high-risk behaviors (22%). 

Weil et al. (Mar 17, 2021). SARS-CoV-2 Epidemiology on a Public University Campus in Washington State. Pre-print downloaded Mar 17 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.15.21253227