Children in Childcare and Schools Rarely Transmit COVID

The journal Pediatrics recently published two very important studies about childcare and schools.  Last month, it published the first large-scale study of childcare centers, and found no additional risk of transmission from children to adult providers.  To quote the researchers, "Overall, we found no evidence of child care being a significant contributor to COVID-19 transmission to adults."

This month, a prepublication release of another study confirms those findings in school settings.  The researchers studied 11 school districts with more than 90,000 students.  They found only 32 cases of in-school transmission, and no cases of transmission from children to adults.

Of course, the studies emphasized that the schools and particularly the childcare centers had followed extensive precautions.  Nothing in the research changes the need for masks and social distancing.  With the proper precautions, however, it is perfectly safe to open schools and childcare centers.  More important, there is no need to quarantine classrooms for a single child who tests positive for the virus.  We now have strong science we can start following in caring for our children.