Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link Skip directly to A-Z link
Volume 30, Number 1—January 2024
Research

COVID-19–Related School Closures, United States, July 27, 2020–June 30, 2022

Nicole ZviedriteComments to Author , Ferdous Jahan, Sarah Moreland1, Faruque Ahmed, and Amra Uzicanin
Author affiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA (N. Zviedrite, F. Jahan, S. Moreland, F. Ahmed, A. Uzicanin); Cherokee Nation Operational Solutions, LLC, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA (F. Jahan); Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA (S. Moreland)

Main Article

Figure 1

COVID-19–related school closures, dominant COVID-19 variants, and timing of vaccination availability, United States, July 27, 2020–June 30, 2022. School closure was defined as a transition from being open to being closed for in-person instruction excluding any scheduled days off; fully in-person and hybrid learning modalities were classified as open, and fully remote and closed were classified as closed. Transmission-related reasons were COVID-19 cases, suspected cases, increased student absenteeism, increased staff absenteeism, cluster or widespread transmission in the community, state or local guidance or mandate to close schools in response to COVID-19, to clean or disinfect school facilities, and other. Non–transmission-related reasons were COVID-19 vaccinations and side effects of vaccination of staff or students, teacher or staff shortage, for student or staff mental health, and other reasons associated with COVID-19. Timeline of COVID-19 variants derived from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Museum COVID-19 Timeline (11) and defined as the point at which a variant accounted for the largest proportion of cases. Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration authorized COVID-19 vaccination for teachers and staff as part of the essential workforce on March 2, 2021, and all persons >16 years of age on April 19, 2021 (12). Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended COVID-19 vaccination for persons 12–15 years of age on May 12, 2021, and for persons 5–11 years of age on November 2, 2021 (11).

Figure 1. COVID-19–related school closures, dominant COVID-19 variants, and timing of vaccination availability, United States, July 27, 2020–June 30, 2022. School closure was defined as a transition from being open to being closed for in-person instruction excluding any scheduled days off; fully in-person and hybrid learning modalities were classified as open, and fully remote and closed were classified as closed. Transmission-related reasons were COVID-19 cases, suspected cases, increased student absenteeism, increased staff absenteeism, cluster or widespread transmission in the community, state or local guidance or mandate to close schools in response to COVID-19, to clean or disinfect school facilities, and other. Non–transmission-related reasons were COVID-19 vaccinations and side effects of vaccination of staff or students, teacher or staff shortage, for student or staff mental health, and other reasons associated with COVID-19. Timeline of COVID-19 variants derived from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Museum COVID-19 Timeline (11) and defined as the point at which a variant accounted for the largest proportion of cases. Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration authorized COVID-19 vaccination for teachers and staff as part of the essential workforce on March 2, 2021, and all persons >16 years of age on April 19, 2021 (12). Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended COVID-19 vaccination for persons 12–15 years of age on May 12, 2021, and for persons 5–11 years of age on November 2, 2021 (11).

Main Article

References
  1. Wong  KK, Shi  J, Gao  H, Zheteyeva  YA, Lane  K, Copeland  D, et al. Why is school closed today? Unplanned K-12 school closures in the United States, 2011-2013. PLoS One. 2014;9:e113755. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  2. Zviedrite  N, Hodis  JD, Jahan  F, Gao  H, Uzicanin  A. COVID-19-associated school closures and related efforts to sustain education and subsidized meal programs, United States, February 18-June 30, 2020. PLoS One. 2021;16:e0248925. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  3. Parks  SE, Zviedrite  N, Budzyn  SE, Panaggio  MJ, Raible  E, Papazian  M, et al. COVID-19–related school closures and learning modality changes—United States, August 1–September 17, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021;70:1374–6. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  4. MCH Strategic Data. COVID-19 impact: school district operational status, updates for Spring 2021. 2021 [cited 2022 Nov 18]. https://www.mchdata.com/covid19/schoolclosings
  5. Burbio, Inc. K–12 school opening tracker. 2022 [cited 2022 Nov 18]. https://about.burbio.com/school-opening-tracker
  6. National Center for Education Statistics. Common core of data. [cited 2023 Apr 5]. https://nces.ed.gov/ccd
  7. National Center for Education Statistics. Private School Universe Survey [cited 2022 Mar 21]. https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss
  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 response. COVID-19 case surveillance public data access, summary, and limitations [cited 2023 Mar 15]. https://data.cdc.gov/Case-Surveillance/COVID-19-Case-Surveillance-Public-Use-Data/vbim-akqf
  9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-NET: COVID-19–Associated Hospitalization Surveillance Network [cited 2023 Mar 7]. https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/covidnet/covid19_5.html
  10. US Department of Health and Human Services. COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory testing (PCR testing) time series [cited 2023 Mar 15]. https://beta.healthdata.gov/dataset/COVID-19-Diagnostic-Laboratory-Testing-PCR-Testing/j8mb-icvb
  11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Museum COVID-19 timeline [cited 2023 Apr 7]. https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html
  12. US Department of Health and Human Services. Coronavirus: COVID-19 vaccines. 2022 [cited 2023 Apr 7]. https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccines/index.html
  13. Shapiro  E. New York City to close public schools again as virus cases rise. The New York Times. 2021 [cited 2023 Feb 21]. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/18/nyregion/nyc-schools-covid.html
  14. Commonwealth of Kentucky Office of the Governor. Executive order 2020-969: state of emergency. 2020 Nov 18 [cited 2023 Feb 21]. https://governor.ky.gov/attachments/20201118_Executive-Order_2020-969_State-of-Emergency.pdf
  15. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Emergency order under MCL 333.2253: gatherings and face mask order. 2020 Nov 15 [2023 Feb 21]. https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/resources/orders-and-directives/lists/executive-directives-content/gatherings-and-face-mask-order-4
  16. Kann  L, Kinchen  S, Modzelski  B, Sullivan  M, Carr  D, Zaza  S, et al. ILI-related school dismissal monitoring system: an overview and assessment. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2012;6:104–12. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  17. Delahoy  MJ, Ujamaa  D, Taylor  CA, Cummings  C, Anglin  O, Holstein  R, et al. Comparison of influenza and coronavirus disease 2019-associated hospitalizations among children younger than 18 years old in the United States: FluSurv-NET (October–April 2017–2021) and COVID-NET (October 2020–September 2021). Clin Infect Dis. 2023;76:e450–9. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  18. Shein  SL, Carroll  CL, Remy  KE, Rogerson  CM, McCluskey  CK, Lin  A, et al. Epidemiology and outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection or multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children vs influenza among critically ill children. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5:e2217217. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  19. Schmitt  J, deCourcy  K. The pandemic has exacerbated a long-standing national shortage of teachers. 2022 Dec 6 [cited 2023 May 8]. https://www.epi.org/publication/shortage-of-teachers
  20. National Center for Education Statistics. US schools report increased teacher vacancies due to COVID-19 pandemic, new NCES data show. 2022 Mar 3 [cited 2023 May 8]. https://nces.ed.gov/whatsnew/press_releases/3_3_2022.asp
  21. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID data tracker. 2023 Mar 21 [cited 2023 Mar 21]. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker
  22. Hodcroft  EB. CoVariants. 2021 [cited 2023 Apr 7]. https://covariants.org
  23. Fox  M. CDC recommends against travel for Thanksgiving. CNN. 2020 Nov 19 [cited 2023 Mar 28]. https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/19/health/cdc-thanksgiving-travel-wellness-bn/index.html
  24. US Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Thanksgiving week travel: total number of trips down, long distance trips up over last year. 2020 [cited 2023 Mar 28]. https://www.bts.gov/data-spotlight/thanksgiving-travel-long-distance-trips-are-up
  25. Perrone  M, Renault  M. Heading into holidays, US COVID-19 testing strained again. AP News. 2020 [cited 2023 Mar 8]. https://apnews.com/article/us-covid-19-testing-strained-holidays-db20ebbcc1fa8a411be8f9ebc241af3b
  26. Mangrum  M. All metro Nashville public schools students to stay remote after Thanksgiving. The Tennessean. 2020 [cited 2023 Mar 8]. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2020/11/23/mnps-schools-stay-closed-after-thanksgiving-coronavirus-spike/6342873002
  27. Kelley  JP. Dayton schools to hold no classes for next 6 weeks, go to school in June instead. Dayton [Ohio] Daily News. 2020 [cited 2023 Mar 2]. https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/six-week-break-part-of-big-change-to-dps-academic-calendar/V6ML2EHHVZCEPOU2YJJJDFT33E
  28. Sawchuk  S, Gewertz  C. Schools are retreating to remote learning as COVID-19 surges. Do they have to? Education Week. 2020 [cited 2023 Mar 2]. https://www.edweek.org/leadership/schools-are-retreating-to-remote-learning-as-covid-19-surges-do-they-have-to/2020/11
  29. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA approves first COVID-19 vaccine—approval signifies key achievement for public health. 2021 Aug 23 [cited 2023 Apr 7]. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-covid-19-vaccine
  30. Earnest  R, Uddin  R, Matluk  N, Renzette  N, Turbett  SE, Siddle  KJ, et al.; New England Variant Investigation Team. Comparative transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 variants Delta and Alpha in New England, USA. Cell Rep Med. 2022;3:100583. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  31. Twohig  KA, Nyberg  T, Zaidi  A, Thelwall  S, Sinnathamby  MA, Aliabadi  S, et al.; COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) consortium. Hospital admission and emergency care attendance risk for SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) compared with alpha (B.1.1.7) variants of concern: a cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2022;22:35–42. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  32. White House. Fact sheet: President Biden to announce new actions to get more Americans vaccinated and slow the spread of the Delta variant. 2021 [cited 2023 Mar 22]. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/07/29/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-announce-new-actions-to-get-more-americans-vaccinated-and-slow-the-spread-of-the-delta-variant
  33. Liu  Y, Rocklöv  J. The effective reproductive number of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 is several times relative to Delta. J Travel Med. 2022;29:taac037.
  34. Pampati  S, Rasberry  CN, Timpe  Z, McConnell  L, Moore  S, Spencer  P, et al. Disparities in implementing COVID-19 prevention strategies in public schools, United States, 2021–22 school year. Emerg Infect Dis. 2023;29:937–44. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  35. Qualls  N, Levitt  A, Kanade  N, Wright-Jegede  N, Dopson  S, Biggerstaff  M, et al.; CDC Community Mitigation Guidelines Work Group. Community mitigation guidelines to prevent pandemic influenza—United States, 2017. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2017;66:1–34. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar
  36. Donovan  CV, Rose  C, Lewis  KN, Vang  K, Stanley  N, Motley  M, et al. SARS-CoV-2 incidence in K–12 school districts with mask-required versus mask-optional policies—Arkansas, August–October 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022;71:384–9. DOIPubMedGoogle Scholar

Main Article

1Current affiliation: Henry M. Jackson Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Page created: November 08, 2023
Page updated: December 20, 2023
Page reviewed: December 20, 2023
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
file_external