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BackgroundThe medium-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of children and adolescents remains unclear. More than two years into the pandemic, we aimed to quantify the frequency and determinants of having been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and estimate its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health. MethodsData was drawn from a population-based cohort of children and adolescents, recruited between December 2021 and June 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland. We measured the impact of the pandemic via the Coronavirus impact scale, which assesses the multidimensional impact of the pandemic at the child and family level through parents report. A score higher than one standard deviation above the mean was deemed a severe impact. Parents additionally reported about their offspring HRQoL and mental health with validated scales. Determinants of having been severely impacted were assessed with logistic models, as were the associations between having experienced a severe impact and poor HRQoL or mental health. ResultsOut of 2101 participants aged 2-17, 12.7% had experienced a severe pandemic impact. Having a lasting health condition, a pandemic-related worsening of lifestyle habits or an unfavorable family environment were associated with having been severely impacted by the pandemic. Participants who had experienced a severe pandemic impact were more likely to present poor HRQoL (aOR=3.1; 95%CI: 2.3-4.4) and poor mental health (aOR=3.9; 95%CI: 2.5-6.2). ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic may have persistent consequences on the wellbeing of children and adolescents, especially among those with health and family vulnerabilities.
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BackgroundVarious studies showed the negative impact of COVID-19-related lockdowns and school closures on the well-being of children and adolescents. However, the prevalence and consequences of occasional short-term school disruptions due to COVID-19-related quarantine or isolation remain unknown. This study evaluated their impact on the well-being and stress level of children and adolescents. MethodsIn June/July 2021, we conducted a survey selecting a representative sample of children and adolescents of a Swiss canton population. Parents of school-aged children reported information about them missing school because of COVID-19, from August 2020 to June 2021, as well as about their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measured with the KINDL(R) scale and their stress level. ResultsAmong the 538 participants, 216/538 (40.1%) pupils missed school at least once for COVID-19-related causes, with a total of 272 absences. We observed no relationship between the frequency of COVID-19-related absences and the HRQoL or stress level, even when stratifying by the type of absence or socio-demographic factors. DiscussionOverall, these findings are reassuring in that quarantines and related school disruptions, which we know are a common and effective way of controlling SARS-CoV-2 transmission, did not seem to meaningfully impact children and adolescents wellbeing and stress. Finding the right balance between SARS-CoV-2 control and young populations well-being is challenging, and the current results provide additional information for decision makers.
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We report a prospective epidemiological, virological and serological investigation of a SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in a primary school, as part of a longitudinal, prospective, primary school-based surveillance study. It involved repeated testing of pupils and teachers and household members of participants who tested positive, with rapid antigen tests and/or RT-PCR (Day 0-2 and Day 5-7), serologies on dried capillary blood samples (Day 0-2 and Day 30), contact tracing interviews and SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequencing. This SARS-CoV-2 outbreak caused by the Alpha variant involved 20 children aged 4 to 6 years from 4 classes, 2 teachers and a total of 4 household members. Infection attack rates were between 11.8 and 62.0% among pupils from the 4 classes, 22.2% among teachers and 0% among non-teaching staff. Secondary attack rate among household members was 15.4%. Symptoms were reported by 63% of infected children, 100% of teachers and 50% of household members. All analysed sequences but one showed 100% identity. Serological tests detected 8 seroconversions unidentified by SARS-CoV-2 virological tests. This study confirmed child-to-child and child-to-adult transmission of the infection. Effective measures to limit transmission in schools have the potential to reduce the overall community circulation.
