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http://dx.doi.org/10.14776/piv.2020.27.e23

Children with COVID-19 after Reopening of Schools, South Korea  

Kim, Eun Young (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)
Ryu, Boyeong (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)
Kim, Eun Kyoung (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)
Park, Young-Joon (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)
Choe, Young June (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine)
Park, Hye Kyung (Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency)
Jeong, Eun Kyeong (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Hallym University College of Medicine)
Publication Information
Pediatric Infection and Vaccine / v.27, no.3, 2020 , pp. 180-183 More about this Journal
Abstract
Purpose: To describe pediatric coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases after the reopening of schools in the Republic of Korea and their transmission routes. Methods: All case report forms and epidemiologic investigation forms for children aged 3-18 years reported as COVID-19 cases to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System from May 1 to July 12, 2020, were reviewed. Results: After the schools were reopened in May 2020, a total of 127 pediatric COVID-19 cases were confirmed until July 12. Of these, 59 children (46%) were exposed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 through family and relatives, followed by 18 children (14%) through cram schools or private lessons, 8 children (6%) through multi-use facilities, and 3 children (2%) through school. Conclusions: The present data do not suggest an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission in the context of stringent school-based infection prevention measures introduced across the country.
Keywords
Coronavirus; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Child; Schools;
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