The study found that SARS-CoV-2 transmission rates in daycares were only 2 to 3%, suggesting that children and caregivers were transmitting COVID to others in the centers.
The study also found low rates of infection among households that had kids attending child care centers, as only 17% of household infections resulted from children who caught COVID at their centers.
Overall, the study found that 1 in 20 symptomatic children attending daycare tested positive for the virus.
Conversely, as soon as a family member tests positive for the coronavirus, transmission to other family members is high, at 50% for young people and 67% for adults.
Young children have contracted COVID-19 from others outside of their daycare.
Additional security measures
Despite low transmission rates in daycare centers, experts continue to insist that families and their children get vaccinated against COVID-19, as new studies show that vaccines are an effective and effective way to avoid serious infections.
“We strongly recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for youth in order to interrupt the higher rates of transmission we have seen in families that can lead to absences from work and school,” said Andrew Hashikawa, M. D. , clinical professor of emergency medicine. .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is lately recommending young people with congestion, runny nose or other respiratory symptoms to get tested for COVID and stay home if they test positive.
The results suggest that those recommendations could be revised to align with those for other serious respiratory viruses, such as influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, known as RSV.
“While it’s crucial to remain vigilant in our efforts to manage the spread of SARS-CoV-2, it seems that prioritizing testing and extended exclusion periods for children in child care centers may not be the most practical approach, as it can place undue financial burden on families from frequent testing, result in missed work, and hinder children’s critical access to quality care and education,” said Hashikawa.
This study was funded through grant 60418 from Merck’s Henry L. Hillman and Flu Lab Investigator Curriculum.
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Materials provided through Michigan Medicine – University of Michigan. Note: Content may be edited based on taste and length.
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