Public schools can adopt lower corporate distance policies with concealment orders

As COVID-19 infection rates fall, Massachusetts officials point out that it is almost time to end remote learning and send all school-age children back to the classroom.

While emerging data indicates that young children and schools have not been the main drivers of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is evidence for guiding best practices to prevent the spread of transmission. the virus in the school setting has been limited and, as a result, national and international recommendations are inconsistent.

A study led by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) research physician provides much-needed new data on optimal physical distance between students for COVID-19 prevention in a school setting.

In a state-of-the-art consortium study, the researchers compared levels of COVID-19 cases in students and staff in Massachusetts public schools among districts with universal mask prescriptions but increased physical distance requirements. different.

The team found no significant difference in the number of cases of COVID-19 among students or staff in school districts that implemented a three-foot versus six-foot distance policy between students.

The findings, published in the journal Clinical infectious diseases, suggests that lower body speed policies can be adopted in school settings with masking orders without adversely affecting the safety of students or staff.

Preliminary studies have not directly compared the impact of different physical distance policies among students attending a personal school. This research, which found no significant difference in the number of cases among students or staff in school districts that implemented a three to six foot distance policy between students, is important because -physical structure at many school buildings that cannot take up to six feet. and bring all (or most) students back into the classroom. “

Polly van den Berg, MD, Lead study author and associate, Department of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Van den Berg and colleagues looked at publicly available data from 251 Massachusetts school districts, including 537,336 students and 99,390 staff who attended personal tuition during a 16-week study period from September 2020 to January 2021.

Using a variety of information – including individual regional infection control plans, the number of diseases reported to the Commonwealth by area, and community levels of COVID-19 from a neutral database, nonprofit – the scientists found little difference in the rate of COVID-19 cases among students and staff in districts that reported six feet of distance versus districts in districts. was commanding three feet of distance.

The scientists note that physical distance was just one of several disease prevention measures taken by school districts.

“This data can be used to inform and update on how infection control plans are implemented in school settings,” added author Westyn Branch-Elliman, MD, MMSc, ​​added. infectious disease specialist at BIDMC and clinical investigator at VA Boston Healthcare System. “It is important to remember that speed is just one of several interventions used in the areas covered in our analysis.

Across the areas covered in our study, shelter command was almost universal, so our study addresses the question of the effectiveness of three to six feet of speed in the study. among students and staff who wear masks. “

The team’s findings also showed that, in general, schools had lower disease rates than the surrounding communities, supporting the view that personal learning is not a major driver of pandemic; however, area case rates were closely linked to community standards, particularly among staff.

“Early in the pandemic, infection control plans were developed for schools and other settings based on the best evidence available at the time – which, early on, was limited,” said Branch-Elliman, who also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “We hope that our findings can be used to update the current distance policy proposals, and ultimately, to help return more students to the classroom.”