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Kalu IC, Zimmerman KO, Goldman JL, Keener Mast D, Blakemore AM, Moorthy G, Boutzoukas AE, Campbell MM, Uthappa D, DeLaRosa J, Potts JM, Edwards LJ, Selvarangan R, Benjamin DK, Mann TK, Schuster JE. SARS-CoV-2 Screening Testing Programs for Safe In-person Learning in K-12 Schools. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc 2023; 12:64-72. [PMID: 36412278 PMCID: PMC9969331 DOI: 10.1093/jpids/piac119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) screening testing is a recommended mitigation strategy for schools, although few descriptions of program implementation are available. METHODS Kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) students and staff practicing universal masking during the delta and omicron variant waves from five schools in Durham, North Carolina and eight schools in Kansas City, Missouri participated; Durham's program was structured as a public health initiative facilitated by school staff, and Kansas City's as a research study facilitated by a research team. Tests included school-based rapid antigen or polymerase chain reaction testing, at-home rapid antigen testing, and off-site nucleic acid amplification testing. RESULTS We performed nearly 5700 screening tests on more than 1600 K-12 school students and staff members. The total cost for the Durham testing program in 5 public charter K-12 schools, each with 500-1000 students, was $246 587 and approximately 752 h per semester; cost per test was $70 and cost per positive result was $7076. The total cost for the Kansas City program in eight public K-12 schools was $292 591 and required approximately 537 h in personnel time for school-based testing; cost per test was $132 and cost per positive result was $4818. SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates were generally lower (0-16.16%) than rates in the community (2.7-36.47%) throughout all testing weeks. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Voluntary screening testing programs in K-12 schools are costly and rarely detect asymptomatic positive persons, particularly in universally masked settings. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT04831866.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibukunoluwa C Kalu
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kanecia O Zimmerman
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- The ABC Science Collaborative, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Dana Keener Mast
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Ashley M Blakemore
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ganga Moorthy
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Angelique E Boutzoukas
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Melissa M Campbell
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Diya Uthappa
- Duke University School of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine Program, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jesse DeLaRosa
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Laura J Edwards
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rangaraj Selvarangan
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
| | - Daniel K Benjamin
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
- The ABC Science Collaborative, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Tara K Mann
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jennifer E Schuster
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Children’s Mercy Kansas City, University of Missouri, Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
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Rocchetti C, Naganathan S, Divney M, Josephs J, Pall H. Community-Academic Partnerships: A Report on the COVID Support Our Schools (SOS) Initiative. Children (Basel) 2022; 9:children9121868. [PMID: 36553312 PMCID: PMC9776981 DOI: 10.3390/children9121868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic disrupted the delivery of education in our school systems and exacerbated pre-existing health and educational disparities. School administrators and staff from underserved communities struggled with continuously changing medical guidance, ensuring equitable education by virtual platforms, and re-opening schools safely. The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM) partnered with statewide resource-limited school districts to create the COVID Support Our Schools (SOS) initiative. This consisted of a physician advisory board, medical student task forces, and community leaders. Numerous sessions were hosted by the COVID SOS team to answer questions, address community needs, and carry out initiatives to meet identified needs. Surveys, including Likert scale questions and open-ended feedback, were administered to all participating school districts. In total, 100% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that the COVID SOS program was dedicated to community needs and provided timely support with necessary resources. Open-ended feedback described that the K-12 school districts valued our partnership as well as found the opportunity to engage with other districts informative and rewarding. The partnership between our academic medical institution and community school districts is mutually beneficial, providing an opportunity for medical student service learning as well as imparting medical expertise in times of need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Rocchetti
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Srividya Naganathan
- Department of Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, K Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ 07753, USA
| | - Michal Divney
- Human Dimension and Community Programs, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Joshua Josephs
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
| | - Harpreet Pall
- Department of Pediatrics, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, K Hovnanian Children’s Hospital, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ 07753, USA
- Correspondence:
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Tkacová H, Králik R, Tvrdoň M, Jenisová Z, Martin JG. Credibility and Involvement of Social Media in Education-Recommendations for Mitigating the Negative Effects of the Pandemic among High School Students. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:2767. [PMID: 35270460 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
In the context of considerations on the potential attenuation of the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic with the use of credible social media in online education during a pandemic, the subject of our own research was the fulfillment of two goals. The main research goals were to identify, categorize, and evaluate the possibilities of using social media in online education during the pandemic from the perspective of selected teachers and students from secondary schools in Slovakia. The research methods of the first phase (qualitative) of the research involved brainstorming among nine secondary school teachers. The second research phase (quantitative) used a questionnaire, which was completed by 102 high school students from all over Slovakia. The collection of both quantitative and qualitative data was used in this research. The research results revealed the most representative opinions of teachers on the current and real possibilities of engaging credible social media in online education and the views of high school students on their desired use and involvement of social media in online education. The intersection of the two findings presents a picture of the possibilities of using credible social media in online education, which can help maintain students’ interest in online education during a pandemic. Based on these findings, it can be stated that the opinions identified in the research group of teachers correspond to a large extent with the desired use of social media in education from the perspective of students. In addition, however, students would welcome more opportunities to use and engage social media in today’s online education. The result of this research is an analysis of social media patterns applied to online education, which are of greater interest to students and could act as elements for reducing the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, i.e., six forms of online education and 24 educational activities that could contribute, inter alia, to mitigating the different negative effects of the pandemic among youth generation. The findings also benefit from the presentation of many specific options and recommendations for the use of social media in online education during a pandemic.
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