Analysis of a direct access testing system for the detection of
SARS-CoV-2 in the paediatric population attending school
Abstract
Abstract Rationale, aims and objectives During the COVID-19 pandemic, in
order to keep schools open and reduce SARS-CoV spreading, it is
necessary to identify and isolate early SARS-CoV-2 positive paediatric
patients (PP). The aim of this study was to describe the appropriateness
of school hot spot (HS) setting for SARS-CoV 2 testing based on open
access of PP. Method A cross-sectional study was performed between
September 2020 and March 2021 among a sample of 13,283 PP in four
different hospital settings. We collected: date of swab execution, type
of swab, execution setting of the swab, result of the swab, information
about community spread of the virus in the 14 days prior to the swab
execution, sex and age. Results In Our sample, females were 45.8%. The
swabs executed in all the hospital settings had a lower likelihood of
resulting positive compared with the school HS setting. New-borns below
3 months and patients aged between 11 and 13 years old reported a higher
probability of a swab tested positive compared to adolescents. Instead,
children aged between 3 months and 2 years and aged between 3 years and
5 years were less likely to result positive. Conclusion We found a high
prevalence of PP positive to the test for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 at
the school hot spot compared with other settings. The open access
modality to the nasopharyngeal swab was effective in identifying PP with
COVID-19. Public health authorities should implement these testing
modality in order to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infections in school settings.