COVID-19 outbreak and risk factors for infection in a taekwondo gym in the Republic of Korea

• DOI: 10.24171/j.phrp.2021.0295
• Publication Date: 2022-03-31T04:29:39Z
• Authors: Seung Hwan Shin; Eonjoo Park; Sookhyun Kim; Minji Jang; Subin Park; Dong-Hwi Kim; Tae Jong Son; Ji-Hyuk Park
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; covid-19; gyms; Special situations and conditions; outbreaks; Short Communication; RC952-1245; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; 3. Good health

Objectives: Relatively few studies have assessed risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in public facilities used by children and adolescents. This study presents an analysis of a COVID-19 outbreak that occurred in a taekwondo gym in Korea, predominantly among children and adolescents, with the aim of providing insights on managing COVID-19 outbreaks in similar facilities. Methods: All 108 taekwondo gym students and staff received COVID-19 tests. A survey and closed-circuit television analyses were used to identify risk factors. A univariate analysis was conducted, followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis with backward elimination for variables with a significance level <0.10 in the univariate analysis. Results: COVID-19 was confirmed in 30 of 108 subjects at the taekwondo gym (attack rate, 27.8%). The outbreak started in an adult class student. This student transmitted the virus to the staff, who consequently transmitted the virus to adolescent students. In the univariate analysis, the relative risk for younger age (≤9 years) was 2.14 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–4.54; p=0.054), and that for food consumption inside the gym was 2.12 (95% CI, 1.04–4.30; p=0.048). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for younger age was 2.96 (95% CI, 1.07–8.20; p=0.036), and that for food consumption inside the gym was 3.00 (95% CI, 1.10–8.17; p=0.032). Conclusion: Food consumption inside the facility and young age were significant risk factors for COVID-19 transmission in this taekwondo gym. Food consumption should be prohibited in sports facilities, and infection prevention education for young students is also required.