Schools under mandatory testing can mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health
• Virology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated various public health interventions, including school closures and reopenings.
• Understanding the impact of school operations on viral transmission is crucial for effective pandemic management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the effect of school reopenings post-summer 2021 on the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Germany.
• To evaluate the role of mandatory rapid testing in schools for viral containment.

Main Methods:

• Event study models utilizing staggered summer vacation schedules across German counties.
• Analysis of daily confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection counts.
• Comparison of infection growth rates between states with reopened schools and control states.

Main Results:

• A short-term increase in detected infections post-reopening, attributed to uncovering asymptomatic cases via mandatory testing.
• Reduced case growth rates approximately two weeks after school reopenings compared to states still on break.
• Similar patterns observed in older age groups, suggesting effective cluster detection through school testing.

Conclusions:

• Mandatory rapid testing in schools can contribute to containing SARS-CoV-2 spread.
• Open schools, under specific conditions, can play a role in virus containment.
• School closures may have unintended consequences by reducing surveillance and should be a last resort measure.