Comparison of COVID-19 rates before, after school reopenings in Israel

Editor's Note

This study from Israel finds that children aged 0 to 9 years did not have substantial rates of COVID-19 infection during school attendance periods, and they did not have a substantial role in COVID-19 spread.

Researchers analyzed data from 47,620 children aged 0 to 9 years; 101,304 youths aged 10 to 19 years; 151,295 adults aged 20 to 39 years; 103,056 adults aged 40 to 59 years; and 63,438 adults aged 60 years and older with COVID-19 infection.

Children aged 0 to 9 years had the lowest increase in incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and test positivity rate ratios (RRs) during both September (schools were closed September 14 to November 1, 2020) and November to December school attendance periods. They also had lower slopes of incidence of the first 3 weeks of September.

The findings suggest that children in this age group do not have substantial rates of COVID-19 infection during school attendance, and resuming school for this age group appears to have been safe, the researchers say.