Supporting COVID-19 School Safety for Children With Disabilities and Medical Complexity

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pediatrics
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and medical complexity (CMC) were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Schools are vital for educational, therapeutic, medical, and social needs of children with IDDs and CMC.
• Implementing pandemic prevention strategies in schools for this population presents unique challenges due to higher risks of complications and mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of screening testing models for SARS-CoV-2 in children with IDDs and CMC.
• To identify generalizable and scalable approaches for safe school operations.
• To support safe school functioning during current and future pandemics for high-risk children.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of various screening testing models for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
• Focus on high-risk pediatric populations, specifically children with IDDs and CMC.
• Evaluation of approaches to facilitate safe school operations.

Main Results:

• Details on the implementation of specific screening testing models are provided.
• The study aims to identify effective strategies for managing SARS-CoV-2 in school settings for vulnerable children.
• Findings are intended to inform scalable and generalizable approaches.

Conclusions:

• Effective mitigation strategies are crucial for children with IDDs and CMC due to their increased risk.
• Screening testing models can facilitate safe school operations for high-risk children.
• The described models offer potential solutions for managing infectious diseases in educational settings during pandemics.