Effects of School-Based Preventive Measures on COVID-19 Incidence, Hong Kong, 2022

Abstract

We show that school closures reduced COVID-19 incidence rates in children by 31%–46% in Hong Kong in 2022. After school reopening accompanied by mask mandates, daily rapid testing, and vaccination requirements, school-reported cases correlated with community incidence rates. Safe school reopening is possible when appropriate preventive measures are used.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• respiratory infections
• severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
• SARS-CoV-2
• SARS
• coronavirus disease