Yale Study Shows No Elevated Risk of COVID-19 Transmission Among Children
A strong safety plan is necessary to protect your staff and students from contracting and/or transmitting COVID-19. In a recent study conducted by Yale University and published in the Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides evidence that there is no elevated risk of infection when preventative measures are put into place.
The study, which took place from May 22 to June 8, 2020 and surveyed 57,335 childcare workers at the preschool age and below, found that there was no elevated risk of infection to these workers when preventative measures are implemented. Data was included from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, with the most data coming from California, Florida, and Ohio.
“This is the first large-scale study of COVID-19 transmission in childcare programs. The study utilized a large sample of U.S. childcare providers, and results were robust to different analytic approaches and to various tests of exposure interaction effects,” the article published. “Overall, we found no evidence of childcare being a significant contributor to COVID-19 transmission to adults. This finding is consistent with previous studies showing a lack of association between school closures and transmission rates.”
According to the study, safety procedures in many schools that led to no increases in exposure to COVID-19 include:
· Smaller class sizes
· Symptom screening for students and staff
· Surface and fixture disinfecting at least three times a day
· Social distancing when possible
· Cohorting (not mixing children and items between child groups)
· Frequent handwashing
As you plan to reopen your school, it is very important to develop COVID-19 procedures and ensure all guidelines are being enforced to limit the risk of transmission. With the proper procedures in place, there should be no elevated risk of infection as you open your doors.
With an evidence-based study conducted by such a prestigious institution like Yale University, it is comforting to see that with the right preemptive measures in place, you can provide a safe work environment for your staff and students.
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