SARS-CoV-2 Circulation in the School Setting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Saverio Caini, Chiara Martinoli, Carlo La Vecchia, Sara Raimondi, Federica Bellerba, Oriana D’Ecclesiis, Clementina Sasso, Alessandra Basso, Giulio Cammarata and Sara Gandini
Additional contact information
Saverio Caini: Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention, and Clinical Network (ISPRO), Via Cosimo il Vecchio 2, 50139 Florence, Italy
Chiara Martinoli: Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), IRCCS, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
Carlo La Vecchia: Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Sara Raimondi: Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), IRCCS, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
Federica Bellerba: Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), IRCCS, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
Oriana D’Ecclesiis: Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), IRCCS, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
Clementina Sasso: The Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF)-Osservatorio Astronomico di Capodimonte, Salita Moiariello 16, 80131 Naples, Italy
Alessandra Basso: Centre for Philosophy of Social Science (TINT), Unit of Practical Philosophy, Department of Political and Economic Studies, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 24, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
Giulio Cammarata: Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), IRCCS, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy
Sara Gandini: Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology (IEO), IRCCS, Via Giuseppe Ripamonti 435, 20141 Milan, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 9, 1-13

Abstract: The contribution of children to viral spread in schools is still debated. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies to investigate SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the school setting. Literature searches on 15 May 2021 yielded a total of 1088 publications, including screening, contact tracing, and seroprevalence studies. MOOSE guidelines were followed, and data were analyzed using random-effects models. From screening studies involving more than 120,000 subjects, we estimated 0.31% (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.05–0.81) SARS-CoV-2 point prevalence in schools. Contact tracing studies, involving a total of 112,622 contacts of children and adults, showed that onward viral transmission was limited (2.54%, 95% CI 0.76–5.31). Young index cases were found to be 74% significantly less likely than adults to favor viral spread (odds ratio (OR) 0.26, 95% CI 0.11–0.63) and less susceptible to infection (OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.25–1.47). Lastly, from seroprevalence studies, with a total of 17,879 subjects involved, we estimated that children were 43% significantly less likely than adults to test positive for antibodies (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.49–0.68). These findings may not applied to the Omicron phase, we further planned a randomized controlled trial to verify these results.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; infections; schools; students; teachers; susceptibility; contract tracing; meta-analysis; screening (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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