TY - JOUR
T1 - COVID-19 Outbreak during Summer Courses at an Elementary School
AU - Pantoja-Meléndez, Carlos
AU - García-De la Torre, Guadalupe
AU - Duran-Robertson, Mónica
AU - Peterson-Marquard, Kenneth
AU - Núñez-Amador, Silvia
AU - Gomez-Bocanegra, Víctor
AU - Ibáñez-Cervantes, Gabriela
AU - Vargas-De-León, Cruz
AU - Cureño-Diaz, Mónica
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/3
Y1 - 2023/3
N2 - Due to the COVID-19 emergency, face-to-face classes were suspended. After the vaccination of teachers and to mitigate educational backwardness, the schools have begun to reopen with protocols established by the government. Here, we investigated the COVID-19 outbreak in summer courses during the reopening of a private elementary school in July 2021. We report confirmed cases of COVID-19 in staff members, students, and their families. A total community of 290 people was part of this study, and we built the contact network. The clinical features of all cases are described. We used the methodology of cases and contacts. The index case was identified by epidemiological tracking, and containment measures were activated, as well as further infection chains in the setting. We estimate the attack rate for staff members at 15.68% (95% CI 7.0–28.6), students at 12.24% (95% CI 4.6–24.8), and family members at 2.6% (95% CI 0.8–6.0). An incubation period of 48–72 h was determined. A student–teacher–student–family transmission sequence was identified. The area where the infection was identified was the school swimming pool, an area where face masks are not worn or, in some cases, inadequately used. Finally, we continue with intermittent staff testing and early detection actions, reinforcing prevention measures, environmental control, cleaning, and educational interventions with students regarding the implementation of preventive measures through classes led by school health staff.
AB - Due to the COVID-19 emergency, face-to-face classes were suspended. After the vaccination of teachers and to mitigate educational backwardness, the schools have begun to reopen with protocols established by the government. Here, we investigated the COVID-19 outbreak in summer courses during the reopening of a private elementary school in July 2021. We report confirmed cases of COVID-19 in staff members, students, and their families. A total community of 290 people was part of this study, and we built the contact network. The clinical features of all cases are described. We used the methodology of cases and contacts. The index case was identified by epidemiological tracking, and containment measures were activated, as well as further infection chains in the setting. We estimate the attack rate for staff members at 15.68% (95% CI 7.0–28.6), students at 12.24% (95% CI 4.6–24.8), and family members at 2.6% (95% CI 0.8–6.0). An incubation period of 48–72 h was determined. A student–teacher–student–family transmission sequence was identified. The area where the infection was identified was the school swimming pool, an area where face masks are not worn or, in some cases, inadequately used. Finally, we continue with intermittent staff testing and early detection actions, reinforcing prevention measures, environmental control, cleaning, and educational interventions with students regarding the implementation of preventive measures through classes led by school health staff.
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - attack rate
KW - case and contact research
KW - containment
KW - school outbreak
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85151363554&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/children10030418
DO - 10.3390/children10030418
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 36979976
AN - SCOPUS:85151363554
SN - 2227-9067
VL - 10
JO - Children
JF - Children
IS - 3
M1 - 418
ER -