Retrospective assessment of SARS-COV2 circulation in two hospital nurseries hosting healthcare workers’ children during lockdown in one of the most affected French areas
AbstractBackgroundEvidence as to whether childcare and school closure limits the spread of SARS-CoV-2 virus is limited, especially because the role of children in SARS-CoV2 transmission remains unclear.MethodsBetween May 29 and July 2, 2020, a retrospective cohort study was conducted among two populations: requisitioned health-care workers and requisitioned staff from hospitals childcare centers, to investigate the virus circulation during lockdown, in a French area of high transmission.ResultsThe infection attack rate was 6/52 (11.6%) and 8/46 (17.4%) among health-care workers and childcare staff, respectively. An early epidemic occurred among Montreuil s hospital childcare staff, but the parents were not affected (p=0.029). Among Aulnay-sous-bois childcare center, three staff members were infected but none of them was in charge of a child whose parents were infected. Also among the parents of the children they cared for, none developed antibodies. Out of 14 infections, 12 were reliable to a source of transmission, mostly among colleagues.Discussion-conclusionThe assessment of viral circulation among healthcare workers and childcare staff suggests that the children did not contribute to SARS-CoV-2 spread in our setting.