Influence of Mask Wearing during COVID-19 Surge and Non-Surge Time Periods in Two K-12 Public School Districts in Georgia, USA

Xiting Lin, Fatima Ali, Traci Leong, Mike Edelson, Samira Hampton, Zoey Zuo, Chaohua Li, Chris Rice, Fengxia Yan, Peter T. Baltrus, Sonya Randolph and Lilly Cheng Immergluck ()
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Xiting Lin: Department of Microbiology/Biochemistry/Immunology and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Fatima Ali: Department of Microbiology/Biochemistry/Immunology and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Traci Leong: Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Mike Edelson: InterDev, LLC., Roswell, GA 30076, USA
Samira Hampton: InterDev, LLC., Roswell, GA 30076, USA
Zoey Zuo: Department of Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
Chaohua Li: Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Chris Rice: InterDev, LLC., Roswell, GA 30076, USA
Fengxia Yan: Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Peter T. Baltrus: Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Sonya Randolph: Department of Microbiology/Biochemistry/Immunology and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA
Lilly Cheng Immergluck: Department of Microbiology/Biochemistry/Immunology and Clinical Research Center, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30310, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: Background: Into the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the second year of in-person learning for many K-12 schools in the United States, the benefits of mitigation strategies in this setting are still unclear. We compare COVID-19 cases in school-aged children and adolescents between a school district with a mandatory mask-wearing policy to one with an optional mask-wearing policy, during and after the peak period of the Delta variant wave of infection. Methods: COVID-19 cases during the Delta variant wave (August 2021) and post the wave (October 2021) were obtained from public health records. Cases of K-12 students, stratified by grade level (elementary, middle, and high school) and school districts across two counties, were included in the statistical and spatial analyses. COVID-19 case rates were determined and spatially mapped. Regression was performed adjusting for specific covariates. Results: Mask-wearing was associated with lower COVID-19 cases during the peak Delta variant period; overall, regardless of the Delta variant period, higher COVID-19 rates were seen in older aged students. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for more layered prevention strategies and policies that take into consideration local community transmission levels, age of students, and vaccination coverage to ensure that students remain safe at school while optimizing their learning environment.

Keywords: COVID-19; school-age children; delta variant; mask (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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