Temperature screening and detection of Covid‐19 in school‐aged children: A retrospective cohort study assessing the efficacy of temperature screening in schools

• Published in: World medical and health policy 2023-12, Vol.15 (4), p.544-552
• Main Authors: Rich, Courtney, Hanson, Laura, Daniel, Luther, Davis, Amy
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 2019冠状病毒病; Children; COVID-19; Epidemics; infection prevention; pandemic response; pediatric Covid‐19 screening; public health in schools; Quarantine; Salud estudiantil; School districts; Schools; Secondary school students; Students; Surveillance; temperature screening; Tests; Toma de temperatura; 体温筛查; 学生健康
• ISSN: 1948-4682; 2153-2028; 1948-4682
• DOI: 10.1002/wmh3.567

In July 2020, Corinth School District was the first in Mississippi to return to the classroom setting. Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) protocols were developed to maintain the safety of students. These included mandatory masking, seating charts, desk spacing, sanitizing protocols, lunch within classrooms, alteration of extracurriculars, cancellation of assemblies, and quarantine policies. Temperature screenings were also performed. Students registering as febrile would undergo Covid‐19 testing. To evaluate the efficacy of temperature scanning as a surveillance method for Covid‐19 in the school setting, deidentified data was obtained from the Corinth School District. Overall incidence and grade level incidence of Covid‐19 were calculated in children attending school from July 27, 2020 to September 25, 2020. Data were examined for a correlation between documented fevers and Covid‐19 positivity. Reports provided by the school district were investigated for positive test groupings signifying a school‐related outbreak. Of 28 children with fevers at school, zero tested positive for Covid‐19. Twenty‐six children tested positive for Covid‐19; none were febrile at school. The incidence of Covid‐19 in our population during the study period was 1.03%. Incidence in elementary students was 0.34%, 0.93% in middle school, and 2.51% in high school students. There were no school outbreaks during the study period. Both relative risk and odds ratio were calculated as equal to zero (0.00). Temperature scanning is not a sensitive screening method for Covid‐19 in school children. 摘要 2020年7月，科林斯学区是美国密西西比州第一个恢复线下授课的学区。制定了2019冠状病毒病(COVID‐19)方案以维护学生安全。其中包括强制性佩戴口罩、座位表、桌子间距、消毒方案、教室内午餐、改变课外活动、取消集会、以及隔离政策。还进行了体温筛查。测量显示为发热的学生将接受COVID‐19检测。为了评价温度扫描作为学校COVID‐19监测方法的效能，（我们）从科林斯学区获得了去识别化数据。计算了2020年7月27日至2020年9月25日期间在校儿童的COVID‐19总体发病率和年级发病率。数据分析用于发现所记录的发烧与COVID‐19阳性之间的关联。对学区提供的报告进行了调查，以寻找阳性测试组，后者表明疾病爆发与学校有关。28名在校发烧的儿童中，没有人的COVID‐19检测结果为阳性。26名儿童的COVID‐19检测结果呈阳性，但没有人在校内发烧。在研究期间，人群的COVID‐19发病率为1.03%。小学生发病率为0.34%，初中生为0.93%，高中生为2.51%。研究期间没有发生学校疫情。相对风险和比值比均计算为零(0.00)。体温扫描不是针对学龄儿童的COVID‐19敏感筛查方法。科林斯学区能够通过实施其他感染控制措施来防止COVID‐19的爆发。 Resumen En julio de 2020, el Distrito Escolar de Corinth fue el primero en el estado de Mississippi, EE. UU., en regresar al entorno de las aulas. Se desarrollaron protocolos Covid‐19 para mantener la seguridad de los estudiantes. Estos incluyeron máscaras obligatorias, diagramas de asientos, espacio entre escritorios, protocolos de desinfección, almuerzo dentro de las