TY - JOUR
T1 - An Examination of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission Based on Classroom Distancing in Schools With Other Preventive Measures in Place—Missouri, January–March 2021
AU - and the Missouri School Measurement Team
AU - Donovan, Catherine V.
AU - Worrell, Mary Claire
AU - Steinberg, Jonathan
AU - Montgomery, Brock K.
AU - Young, Randall
AU - Richardson, Gabriele
AU - Dawson, Patrick
AU - Dinh, Thu Ha
AU - Botkin, Natalie
AU - Fitzpatrick, Tammy
AU - Fields, Amanda
AU - Rains, Catherine M.
AU - Fritz, Stephanie
AU - Malone, Sara
AU - Tong, Suxiang
AU - Mooney, Jon
AU - Newland, Jason G.
AU - Barrios, Lisa C.
AU - Neatherlin, John C.
AU - Salzer, Johanna S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health.
PY - 2022/9
Y1 - 2022/9
N2 - Objectives: Classroom layout plays a central role in maintaining physical distancing as part of a multicomponent prevention strategy for safe in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a school investigation to assess layouts and physical distancing in classroom settings with and without in-school SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Methods: We assessed, measured, and mapped 90 K-12 (kindergarten through grade 12) classrooms in 3 Missouri public school districts during January–March 2021, prior to widespread prevalence of the Delta variant; distances between students, teachers, and people with COVID-19 and their contacts were analyzed. We used whole-genome sequencing to further evaluate potential transmission events. Results: The investigation evaluated the classrooms of 34 students and staff members who were potentially infectious with COVID-19 in a classroom. Of 42 close contacts (15 tested) who sat within 3 ft of possibly infectious people, 1 (2%) probable transmission event occurred (from a symptomatic student with a longer exposure period [5 days]); of 122 contacts (23 tested) who sat more than 3 ft away from possibly infectious people with shorter exposure periods, no transmission events occurred. Conclusions: Reduced student physical distancing is one component of mitigation strategies that can allow for increased classroom capacity and support in-person learning. In the pre–Delta variant period, limited physical distancing (<6 ft) among students in K-12 schools was not associated with increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
AB - Objectives: Classroom layout plays a central role in maintaining physical distancing as part of a multicomponent prevention strategy for safe in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a school investigation to assess layouts and physical distancing in classroom settings with and without in-school SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Methods: We assessed, measured, and mapped 90 K-12 (kindergarten through grade 12) classrooms in 3 Missouri public school districts during January–March 2021, prior to widespread prevalence of the Delta variant; distances between students, teachers, and people with COVID-19 and their contacts were analyzed. We used whole-genome sequencing to further evaluate potential transmission events. Results: The investigation evaluated the classrooms of 34 students and staff members who were potentially infectious with COVID-19 in a classroom. Of 42 close contacts (15 tested) who sat within 3 ft of possibly infectious people, 1 (2%) probable transmission event occurred (from a symptomatic student with a longer exposure period [5 days]); of 122 contacts (23 tested) who sat more than 3 ft away from possibly infectious people with shorter exposure periods, no transmission events occurred. Conclusions: Reduced student physical distancing is one component of mitigation strategies that can allow for increased classroom capacity and support in-person learning. In the pre–Delta variant period, limited physical distancing (<6 ft) among students in K-12 schools was not associated with increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
KW - COVID-19
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - physical distancing
KW - school health
KW - students
KW - ventilation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85134393029&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/00333549221109003
DO - 10.1177/00333549221109003
M3 - Article
C2 - 35848091
AN - SCOPUS:85134393029
SN - 0033-3549
VL - 137
SP - 972
EP - 979
JO - Public Health Reports
JF - Public Health Reports
IS - 5
ER -