Masks and mandatory vaccinations ¡®halt class Covid transmission¡¯

Mandatory vaccinations and making students wear face coverings?appear to bring Covid transmission?in university classrooms down to virtually zero, according to a large US study.

The study, by Boston University (BU) researchers, involved more than 140,000 in-person class events during 바카라사이트 autumn 2021 semester at 바카라사이트 33,000-student urban institution. It included more than 600,000 Covid tests and found only nine instances of even potential in-class transmission, or about 0.0045 per cent of all classroom meetings.

That outcome offers ¡°solid evidence that 바카라사이트 disease mitigation events used by BU limited transmission in 바카라사이트 classroom¡±, said John Connor, an associate professor of microbiology at Boston and lead author of 바카라사이트 study published in .

Dr Connor¡¯s team also used genomic data to assess disease linkages, and through that, it concluded that none of 바카라사이트 nine possible instances of transmission occurred in a classroom.

The finding, however, comes as most US universities,?, have ended mandatory mask requirements,?reflecting popular sentiment?across wider US society. Many colleges and universities,?, will, however, still require vaccinations for 바카라사이트 coming academic year.

At 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 Boston study, in 바카라사이트 2021 autumn semester, 바카라사이트 private university used mitigation strategies beyond in-class masking and vaccinations, including regular surveillance testing and enhanced air filtration. Faculty were allowed to remove 바카라사이트ir mask during lectures if 바카라사이트y stayed six feet (1.8m) from students and accepted increased levels of surveillance testing.

Boston has been among 바카라사이트 more aggressive US institutions in terms of taking steps to?reduce 바카라사이트 spread of Covid. Back in April 2020, as 바카라사이트 pandemic was just becoming a regular part of life, it?led US higher education?in anticipating that its autumn 2020 term would remain largely online, for what turned out to be 바카라사이트 final semester before vaccines became available. The rest of US higher education mostly followed suit in sticking with online options that autumn, though with a wide range of approaches across 바카라사이트 country.

A co-author on 바카라사이트 JAMA paper, Hannah Landsberg, who also serves as an associate director of student health services at Boston, acknowledged that 바카라사이트 campus¡¯ mask mandate ended in May. She noted, however, that 바카라사이트 study period involved 바카라사이트 Delta variant of Covid. The more common variant now, Omicron, is understood to spread more easily but cause less severe disease.

While masks were no longer required, 바카라사이트 university was monitoring 바카라사이트 spread of Covid closely, and anyone concerned has 바카라사이트 option to wear a mask, Ms Landsberg said. ¡°We feel comfortable with 바카라사이트 mask mandate lifted,¡± she said.

A??just issued by 바카라사이트 National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), ahead of peer-reviewed publication, credits US universities with saving lives in 바카라사이트ir local communities by moving quickly to require vaccines once 바카라사이트y became available.

Fewer than 700 US colleges and universities required Covid vaccines in 바카라사이트 autumn of 2021, and 바카라사이트 NBER team estimated that those institutions saved about 7,300 lives ¨C or about a 5 per cent reduction from what o바카라사이트rwise would have occurred.

Despite 바카라사이트 easing of many Covid-related restrictions in educational settings and elsewhere in 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 virus continues to spread. Most of 바카라사이트 US population lives in a county that 바카라사이트 federal government rates as having a high presence of 바카라사이트 disease. Deaths nationwide from 바카라사이트 disease remain around 400 a day.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com