Characterizing school-linked and non-school linked SARS-CoV-2 cases in children and households: a retrospective cohort study using linked population-level administrative data from Manitoba, Canada

Main Article Content

Jill Hnatiuk
Monica Sirski
Sharmistha Mishra
Stefan Baral
Diane Gordon-Pappas
Alan Katz

Abstract

Objective
To identify directionality of SARS-CoV-2 cases within households and schools, and characterize school, household, and neighbourhood factors associated with school and non-school linked cases. 


Approach
Using linked administrative data housed at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, a cohort of 449,425 individuals from 126,670 households with school-aged children enrolled in Manitoba public schools between September 1, 2020-June 30, 2021 was created. Using population-based SARS-CoV-2 laboratory test results, education enrolment and household composition data, index and transmission cases were counted and categorized at an individual and household level as school or non-school linked. Logistic regression models examined school, household and neighbourhood factors associated with school- and non-school linked households. 


Results
143280 individuals were tested for SARS-CoV-2 during the study period; 14712 individuals (10.3%) tested positive. Amongst positive cases, 1695 (11.5%) were school-linked; the remaining 13017 (88.5%) were non-school linked. 13.7% of SARS-CoV-2 positive households had ≥1 case linked to school; 86.3% did not. Preliminary results found higher incomes quintiles had lower odds of being a school-linked household, as did living outside the Winnipeg region. Having more children in a grade and more household members resulted in higher odds of being a school-linked transmission household. No associations were observed for having a child under age five in the household.


Conclusions
Taken together, these data suggest schools were not a large source of SARS-CoV-2 cases in Manitoba and factors associated with school-linked households largely mirrored broader community transmission patterns. 


Implications
These findings may influence public health approaches to future pandemic control.

Article Details

How to Cite
Hnatiuk, J., Sirski, M., Mishra, S., Baral, S., Gordon-Pappas, D. and Katz, A. (2024) “Characterizing school-linked and non-school linked SARS-CoV-2 cases in children and households: a retrospective cohort study using linked population-level administrative data from Manitoba, Canada”, International Journal of Population Data Science, 9(5). doi: 10.23889/ijpds.v9i5.2664.

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