No magic bullet: Limiting in-school transmission in the face of variable SARS-CoV-2 viral loads

• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.941773
• Publication Date: 2022-12-01T11:14:43Z
• Authors: Debra Van Egeren; Madison Stoddard; Abir Malakar; Debayan Ghosh; Antu Acharya; Sk Mainuddin; Biswajit Majumdar; Deborah Luo; Ryan P. Nolan; Diane Joseph-McCa...; Laura F. White; Natasha S. Hochberg; Saikat Basu; Arijit Chakravarty
• Keywords: Pandemic; Limiting

In the face of a long-running pandemic, understanding drivers ongoing SARS-CoV-2 transmission is crucial for rational management COVID-19 disease burden. Keeping schools open has emerged as vital societal imperative during but in-school can contribute to further prolonging pandemic. this context, role in driving acquires critical importance. Here we model from first principles investigate effectiveness layered mitigation strategies on limiting spread. We examined effect masks and air quality (ventilation, filtration ionizers) steady-state viral load classrooms, well number particles inhaled by an uninfected person. The these measures was assessed variants with different levels mean (ancestral, Delta, Omicron). Our results suggest that strategy be used effectively limit transmission, certain limitations. First, poorly designed (insufficient ventilation, no masks, staying under high community transmission) will permit spread even if some level present. Second, are sufficiently contagious, it may difficult construct any set interventions capable blocking once infected individual present, underscoring importance other measures. findings provide practical recommendations; particular, use such frequent surveillance testing smaller class sizes (such offering remote schooling options those who prefer it) needed.