3 Steps Could Nearly Eliminate COVID Infections on College Campuses: Study
FRIDAY, Jan. 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- A combination of mask use, social distancing and routine testing would eliminate nearly all COVID-19 infections on U.S. college campuses, a new study claims.
Using a computer model that simulated a semester of a mid-sized college (5,000 students and 1,000 faculty), researchers assessed the effectiveness and cost of 24 combinations of four common preventive strategies: social distancing; mask-wearing; testing; and isolation.
A combination of just two measures -- distancing and mandatory masks -- would prevent 87% of campus COVID-19 infections and cost only $170 per infection prevented, according to the study.
Adding routine lab-based testing to the mix would prevent 92% to 96% of COVID-19 infections, but would increase the cost to between $2,000 and $17,000 per infection prevented.
With no prevention, about three-quarters of students and nearly one in six faculty members would become infected over the semester. Minimal social distancing policies would reduce infections by only 16% in students.
Closing the campus and switching to online-only education would reduce infections by 63% among students, but that would be less effective than keeping the campus open and having a combined mask-wearing and social distancing policy, which would reduce infections by 87% among students, according to the report published online recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
"While some measures are highly effective, implementing them is entirely up to each college's financial situation, which may have already become strained because of the pandemic," said study co-senior author Pooyan Kazemian, an assistant professor of operations at Case Western Reserve University's School of Management, in Cleveland.
"It is clear that two common non-medical strategies are very effective and inexpensive -- and allow for some in-person instruction," Kazemian said in a university news release.
"While it's true routine testing of the asymptomatic helps catch some infections early and reduce transmissions, they also pose the highest financial and operational burden, even if performed every 14 days," he added.
"While states have started offering COVID-19 vaccine to health care workers, first responders and long-term care facilities, it is unlikely that most students and university faculty and staff will be offered a vaccine until late in the spring semester," Kazemian said.
"Therefore, commitment to mask-wearing and extensive social distancing, including canceling large gatherings and reducing class sizes with a hybrid education system, remains the primary strategy for minimizing infections and keeping the campus open during the spring semester," he concluded.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19.
SOURCE: Case Western Reserve University, news release, Jan. 13, 2021
Hatua tatu zinaweza kuondoa maambukizi ya COVID-19 katika vyuo vikuu: Utafiti Jumatano, Januari 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) - Mchanganyiko wa matumizi ya kinyago, umbali wa kijamii na upimaji wa kawaida ungeondoa karibu maambukizi yote ya COVID-19 katika vyuo vikuu vya Marekani, utafiti mpya unadai. Kwa kutumia mfano wa kompyuta ulioiga muhula mmoja wa chuo kikuu cha ukubwa wa kati (wanafunzi 5,000 na walimu 1,000), watafiti walipima ufanisi na gharama ya mchanganyiko wa mikakati minne ya kawaida ya kuzuia: umbali wa kijamii, kuvaa kinyago, kupima, na kutengwa. Mchanganyiko wa hatua mbili tu - kutenganisha na vinyago vya lazima - ungezuia asilimia 87 ya maambukizi ya COVID-19 katika chuo kikuu na gharama $ 170 tu kwa maambukizo yaliyoepukwa, kulingana na utafiti. Kuongeza majaribio ya kawaida ya maabara kwa mchanganyiko huo kutazuia 92% hadi 96% ya maambukizi ya COVID-19, lakini itaongeza gharama hadi kati ya $ 2,000 na $ 17,000 kwa maambukizo yaliyoepukwa. Bila kuzuia, karibu robo tatu ya wanafunzi na karibu mmoja kati ya walimu sita watakuwa na maambukizi katika muhula. Mipango ya kutenganisha kijamii itapunguza maambukizi kwa asilimia 16 tu kwa wanafunzi. Kufunga chuo kikuu na kubadilisha elimu ya mtandaoni tu kutapunguza maambukizi kwa 63% kati ya wanafunzi, lakini hiyo itakuwa na ufanisi mdogo kuliko kuweka chuo kikuu wazi na kuwa na sera ya pamoja ya kuvaa kinyago na umbali wa kijamii, ambayo itapunguza maambukizi kwa 87% kati ya wanafunzi, kulingana na ripoti iliyochapishwa mtandaoni hivi karibuni katika Annals of Internal Medicine. "Wakati hatua zingine zina ufanisi mkubwa, kutekeleza kwao ni kabisa hadi hali ya kifedha ya kila chuo kikuu, ambayo inaweza kuwa tayari imezidi kuwa ngumu kwa sababu ya janga hilo, ""aliambia mwandishi mwenza wa utafiti Pooja Kazemian, profesa msaidizi wa shughuli katika Chuo Kikuu cha Usimamizi cha Case Western Reserve huko Cleveland." "Ni wazi kwamba mikakati miwili ya kawaida isiyo ya matibabu ni yenye ufanisi sana na ya bei nafuu - na inaruhusu baadhi ya maagizo ya kibinafsi", Kazemian alisema katika taarifa ya habari ya chuo kikuu. "Wakati ni kweli kwamba upimaji wa kawaida wa asymptomatic husaidia kukamata maambukizi mapema na kupunguza maambukizi, pia huweka mzigo mkubwa wa kifedha na uendeshaji, hata ikiwa hufanywa kila siku 14,"" aliongeza." "Wakati majimbo yameanza kutoa chanjo ya COVID-19 kwa wafanyikazi wa huduma za afya, wa kwanza kujibu na vituo vya utunzaji wa muda mrefu, haiwezekani kwamba wanafunzi wengi na walimu na wafanyikazi wa chuo kikuu watapewa chanjo hadi mwishoni mwa muhula wa masika, ""Kazemian alisema." "Kwa hivyo, kujitolea kwa kuvaa kinyago na umbali mkubwa wa kijamii, pamoja na kufuta mikusanyiko mikubwa na kupunguza ukubwa wa darasa na mfumo wa elimu ya mchanganyiko, inabaki kuwa mkakati wa msingi wa kupunguza maambukizi na kuweka chuo wazi wakati wa muhula wa masika. """ Vituo vya Marekani vya Kudhibiti na Kuzuia Magonjwa vimechapisha ripoti ya COVID-19 "Kutoka kwa Chuo Kikuu cha Case Western Reserve, ""Kuchukua nafasi ya kwanza"" ni taarifa ya habari ya Januari 13, 2021."