CDC study says Covid-19 cases remain lowest in young children, even after schools reopen

By early December, 62% of US K-12 school districts had opened up to full or partial in-person learning. Despite this, reports of the outbreaks in schools were “limited,” the CDC researchers wrote. The incidence of Covid-19 in the general population was similar in counties with in-person learning – 401.2 cases per 100,000 people – and those that were online only – 418.2 per 100,000 people.

There is no evidence that the increase in cases among school-aged children and adolescents preceded the increase in other age groups; however, there were increases in other age groups after the increase in cases among people aged 18 to 24.

To prevent transmission of the coronavirus in schools, transmission in the community must be controlled, according to the report. Communities and schools should implement mitigation strategies such as wearing masks, and people should adhere to them. The CDC’s recommendations already say K-12 schools should be the last to close after all other mitigation measures have been tried, and the first to reopen once it’s safe to do so. , notes the report.