Article ; Online: The impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on the likelihood of children identified as sources of infection in the NIH workforce: a cohort study
medRxiv
Abstract: Abstract Background: Children (<18 years old) were not initially considered significant sources of infection (SOIs) for SARS-CoV-2. Risk mitigation strategies were thus prioritized for adults, and vaccination was inaccessible for children until mid-2021. ...
| Abstract | Abstract Background: Children (<18 years old) were not initially considered significant sources of infection (SOIs) for SARS-CoV-2. Risk mitigation strategies were thus prioritized for adults, and vaccination was inaccessible for children until mid-2021. Emergence of novel variants led to significant increases in COVID-19 cases in both children and adults. Whether these emergence events and increased vulnerability of unvaccinated children had a synergistic effect resulting in increased caseloads in adults requires further exploration. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 3,545 workers diagnosed with COVID-19. Case details were compiled during contact investigations. Variants of concern were identified following sequencing of biological samples collected through employer-based testing programs. Logistic regression was performed to compare the odds of having a child SOI based on the dominant variant in the workforce. Results: One-fourth (24.5%) of the cohort reported having a child in-residence; 11.2% identified a child as their SOI. In Alpha-dominant months, the odds of having a child SOI were 0.3, and the child SOI was likely older (5-17 years old). The odds of having a child SOI increased to 1.3 and 2.2 in Delta- and Omicron-dominant months, respectively. The odds of having younger child SOIs (<5 years old) were significantly higher in Omicron-dominant months. Conclusions: Children were highly likely to acquire the virus and posed a significant risk of transmission to their adult caretakers during Delta- and Omicron-dominant months. Without proper mitigation strategies in both the home and the workplace, child-associated transmission can threaten operations in the forms of staff shortages. |
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| Keywords | covid19 |
| Language | English |
| Publishing date | 2023-11-08 |
| Publisher | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press |
| Document type | Article ; Online |
| DOI | 10.1101/2023.11.07.23297422 |
| Database | COVID19 |
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