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Evaluation of Serial Testing After Exposure to COVID-19 in Early Care and Education Facilities, Illinois, March–May 2022

Journal Article · · Public Health Reports
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [3];  [5];  [2];  [6];  [7];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 Emergency Response Team, Atlanta, GA, USA
  2. Illinois Department of Public Health, Springfield, IL, USA
  3. Chicago Department of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
  4. Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center, Waukegan, IL, USA
  5. SHIELD Illinois, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
  6. G2S Corporation, San Antonio, TX, USA
  7. Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
+ Show Author Affiliations

Objective:

To understand SARS-CoV-2 transmission in early care and education (ECE) settings, we implemented a Test to Stay (TTS) strategy, which allowed children and staff who were close contacts to COVID-19 to remain in person if they agreed to test twice after exposure. We describe SARS-CoV-2 transmission, testing preferences, and the number of in-person days saved among participating ECE facilities.

Methods:

From March 21 through May 27, 2022, 32 ECE facilities in Illinois implemented TTS. Unvaccinated children and staff who were not up to date with COVID-19 vaccination could participate if exposed to COVID-19. Participants received 2 tests within 7 days after exposure and were given the option to test at home or at the ECE facility.

Results:

During the study period, 331 TTS participants were exposed to index cases (defined as people attending the ECE facility with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result during the infectious period); 14 participants tested positive, resulting in a secondary attack rate of 4.2%. No tertiary cases (defined as a person with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result within 10 days after exposure to a secondary case) occurred in the ECE facilities. Most participants (366 of 383; 95.6%) chose to test at home. Remaining in-person after an exposure to COVID-19 saved approximately 1915 in-person days among children and staff and approximately 1870 parent workdays.

Conclusion:

SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates were low in ECE facilities during the study period. Serial testing after COVID-19 exposure among children and staff at ECE facilities is a valuable strategy to allow children to remain in person and parents to avoid missing workdays.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
SC0014664
OSTI ID:
2425670
Journal Information:
Public Health Reports, Journal Name: Public Health Reports Journal Issue: 4 Vol. 138; ISSN 0033-3549
Publisher:
SAGE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (9)

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) during COVID‐19 boosts growth in language and executive function journal May 2021
Evaluation of Test to Stay Strategy on Secondary and Tertiary Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in K–12 Schools — Lake County, Illinois, August 9–October 29, 2021 journal December 2021
Association of Child Masking With COVID-19–Related Closures in US Childcare Programs journal January 2022
Limited Secondary Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Child Care Programs — Rhode Island, June 1–July 31, 2020 journal August 2020
The Effects of COVID-19 on Early Childhood Education and Care: Research and Resources for Children, Families, Teachers, and Teacher Educators journal May 2021
A Test-to-Stay Modified Quarantine Program for COVID-19 in Schools journal April 2022
Adherence to Masking Requirement During the COVID‐19 Pandemic by Early Elementary School Children journal May 2021
Evaluation of a Test to Stay Strategy in Transitional Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools — Los Angeles County, California, August 16–October 31, 2021 journal December 2021
Daily testing for contacts of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection and attendance and SARS-CoV-2 transmission in English secondary schools and colleges: an open-label, cluster-randomised trial journal October 2021

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