1.Identifying risk factors for COVID-19 cluster infections in schools in the Republic of Korea: a case-control study
Jihyun CHOI ; Seongju CHOI ; Baigu LEE ; Young-Joon PARK ; Sang Eun LEE
Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives 2024;15(4):375-382
		                        		
		                        			 Objectives:
		                        			No study has yet analyzed risk factors to determine whether students withconfirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections may affect students at neighboringschools. Therefore, this study aimed to determine risk factors for COVID-19 transmission among schools within a community in the Republic of Korea. 
		                        		
		                        			Methods:
		                        			An epidemiological investigation was conducted among 696 students and schoolstaff members at 3 schools where COVID-19 clusters began on October 15, 2021. Interviews, visithistory surveys, a facility risk assessment, and closed-circuit television were used to identifyrisk factors. The statistical significance of risk factors was also evaluated. 
		                        		
		                        			Results:
		                        			We confirmed 129 cases (18.5%) among the individuals exposed to COVID-19 at the 3schools, many of whom had a history of visiting the same multi-use facilities. The odds ratioof having visited multi-use facilities such as karaoke rooms was 1.90 (95% confidence interval, 1.03–3.50); the number of visits to a karaoke room and the visit durations were significantly higher among confirmed cases than non-confirmed cases (p = 0.02 and p = 0.03, respectively). 
		                        		
		                        			Conclusion
		                        			Having a history of visiting karaoke rooms often and spending a long time there were risk factors for COVID-19 infection and inter-school transmission. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the status of multi-use facilities frequently visited by adolescents and consider incorporating them into the scope of school quarantine to prevent infectious diseases at schools in a community. 
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
            
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