Assessment of a Program for SARS-CoV-2 Screening and Environmental Monitoring in an Urban Public School District

Abstract

Key Points Question Does weekly testing of kindergarten through 12th grade students and staff improve detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection and understanding of the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in urban public school settings? Findings In this quality improvement study, weekly school-based saliva polymerase chain reaction testing at 3 urban public schools was associated with increased case detection among staff and students compared with symptom-based strategies, exceeding county-level case rates. SARS-CoV-2 was detected in school wastewater samples each week as well as air and surface samples from choir classrooms. Meaning This study suggests that routine SARS-CoV-2 testing may identify infected staff and students who are not identified through conventional case detection and may provide insight into disease burdens of undertested communities.

Assessment of indoor biological air quality at a mass gathering event in an unimproved exhibition facility during the COVID-19 pandemic using a novel air sampling technology

“…The AirAnswers® device for air sampling uses electro-kinetic flow to sample air at high rates, and capture bio-aerosols on the grounded electrodes in assayable form. Published data to date using this system [1-4] has been for single home locations and in various locations in a school system [5]. Previous measurements have focused on common household allergens and (1→3)-β-D-Glucan, a fungal cell-wall fragment.…”

“…Published data to date using this system [1][2][3][4] has been for single home locations and in various locations in a school system [5] . Previous measurements have focused on common household allergens and (1→3)-β-D-Glucan, a fungal cell-wall fragment.…”

“…Methods that have been applied to attempts to detect airborne SARS-CoV-2 include glass fiber filter [8], gelatin filters [9] various other kinds of filters [10], condensate capture [11][12][13][14], NIOSH vortex sampler [15][16][17] electrostatic aerosol to hydrosol [18], SKC Impinger [19], personal environmental monitor [20], Sioutas Cascade Impactor [21].or bubbling through triazole [22]. One study made use of the AirAnswers® to show presence of airborne SARS-CoV-2 associated with the choir in a high school [5]. Here the measurement is validated in a controlled environmental chamber.…”

“…were identified as possible positions for Air Answers™ device placements. Actual positions selected were in the registration area (1), at a water station where bottled water was handed out (2), AirAnswers® Booth (3), and other vendors' booths at (4) (5). Multiple 30-minute seminars were conducted each day at booth (5).…”

Surveillance of Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 Infections at School in the Veneto Region: Methods and Results of the Public Health Response during the Second and Third Waves of the Pandemic between January and June 2021

“…The ECDC's report on the limited benefit of school closures described it as necessary only in the case of a massive spread of the infection among the population. The role of younger people as vectors of the infection was not well known, and the limited data available varied (also depending on how accurately asymptomatic cases were identified) [6]. Meanwhile, the educational impact of school closures on children, and the economic effects on families, were significant [7,8].…”