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Powers KA, Sullivan KM, Zadrozny SL, Shook-Sa BE, Byrnes R, Bogojevich DA, Lauen DL, Thompson P, Robinson WR, Gordon-Larsen P, Aiello AE. North Carolina public school teachers' contact patterns and mask use within and outside of school during the prevaccine phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Am J Infect Control 2022; 50:608-617. [PMID: 34971715 PMCID: PMC8714247 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajic.2021.12.020] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Teachers are central to school-associated transmission networks, but little is known about their behavioral patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 700 North Carolina public school teachers in 4 districts open to in-person learning in November-December 2020 (pre-COVID-19 vaccines). We assessed indoor and outdoor time spent, numbers of people encountered at <6 feet ("close contacts"), and mask use by teachers and those around them at specific locations on the most recent weekday and weekend day. RESULTS Nearly all respondents reported indoor time at home (98%) and school (94%) on the most recent weekday, while 62% reported indoor time at stores, 18% at someone else's home, and 17% at bars/restaurants. Responses were similar for the most recent weekend day, excepting school (where 5% reported indoor time). Most teachers (>94%) reported wearing masks inside school, stores, and salons; intermediate percentages (∼50%-85%) inside places of worship, bars/restaurants, and recreational settings; and few (<25%) in their or others' homes. Approximately half reported daily close contact with students. CONCLUSIONS As schools reopened in the COVID-19 pandemic, potential transmission opportunities arose through close contacts within and outside of school, along with suboptimal mask use by teachers and/or those around them. Our granular estimates underscore the importance of multilayered mitigation strategies and can inform interventions and mathematical models addressing school-associated transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A Powers
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
| | - Kristin M Sullivan
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Sabrina L Zadrozny
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Bonnie E Shook-Sa
- Department of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Rosemary Byrnes
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - David A Bogojevich
- Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Douglas L Lauen
- Department of Public Policy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; Carolina Population Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Peyton Thompson
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Whitney R Robinson
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; Carolina Population Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Penny Gordon-Larsen
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Allison E Aiello
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; Carolina Population Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
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