At a Georgia summer camp in June, there was a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak affecting 44% of the staff and attendees. 258 trainees and staff members arrived on June 17th, and 366 campers and senior staff member arrived on June 21st. The camp followed all overnight camp policies from the Georgia Executive Order (including a negative SARS-CoV-2 test within 12 days of arrival) and the majority of measures from CDC’s Suggestions for Youth and Summer Camps. However, cloth masks were not required for campers (they were for staff). Activities included both indoor and outdoor events, some of which included daily singing and cheering. 


 On June 22, a teenage staff member developed chills during the evening, was tested on June 23, and tested positive on June 24th. Campers were sent home between June 24 and June 27 when the camp officially closed. The results of this investigation adds to the existing evidence that children of all ages are both susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and may be key in transmission. 

SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Infection Among Attendees of An Overnight Camp - Georgia, June 2020

- SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Infection Among Attendees of An Overnight Camp - Georgia, June 2020

Hamilton College

- Schools (K-12)

- Universities/Colleges

- Summer Camps

- Daycares

- Nurseries

Re-opening Childcare/ Educational Environments

In an urgent attempt to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2, K-12 schools across the U.S. have swiftly shut down and remained closed for approximately 2 months. As many countries have entered or are planning to enter a gradual reopening phase, clinical studies have found that children mainly have low transmission rates as well as asymptomatic to mild disease. As such, policymakers, healthcare systems, and educational institutions are considering reopening schools for fall 2020.



UPDATE: As of September 1, 2020, New York City schools are reopening September 16th with the first week being remote then after that there will be cohorts. Students get to choose if they want to be fully remote or in-person (hybrid). Students can go to remote learning anytime they choose if they do not feel comfortable being in the classroom once they are in. But, they are unable to go back into the classrooms once they are out. 

Re-opening Schools for Fall 2020 During COVID-19 Pandemic

- ANNALS Academy of Medicine Singapore
- Annals of Internal Medicine
- CBS News
- Epidemiology and Infection
- JAMA
- medRxiv
- Health and Place
- Wiley
- Eurosurveillance
- The Lancet Infectious Diseases
- The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health
- The Lancet Public Health 
- The Journal of Hospital Infection
- Journal Of Parenteral And Enteral Nutrition
- Italian Journal of Pediatrics
- The Journal of Pediatrics
- GMS Hygiene and Infection Control
- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 
- Medical Journal 
- Collegian 
- American Academy of Pediatrics
- The British Medical Journal (BMJ) 

References for Re-opening Childcare/ Educational Environments During the COVID-19 Pandemic by Journal

Based on the present knowledge of health professionals as of May 19, 2020 children get COVID-19 less frequently and less severely than adults, as such, daycares should be reopened. Especially for kids under the age of 10, current data shows a lower rate of transmission. Taking into account that there is a lack of evidence for the transmission of an infected child to an adult and that a large majority of infections in children are asymptomatic or minor, reopening daycare centers is possible without excessive restrictions. 

Reopening Daycare Centers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The college/university settings pose unique challenges to the management of students and faculty/staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. The dense populations and close-quarters of residential environments on most college campuses create high risks for viral transmission. On the other hand, college students may be more willing to follow proper safety protocol instituted by a college and may be more able to handle remote learning when necessary. 

Learn Before

Related

Learn After