Journal Article

Effect of Returning University Students on COVID-19 Infections in England, 2020

Leeman, David, Dabrera, Gavin, Lamagni, Theresa, Chudasama, Dimple, Anderson, Charlotte, Dack, Kyle, Flannagan, Joe

2022

Overview

Each September in England, ≈1 million students relocate to study at universities. To determine COVID-19 cases and outbreaks among university students after their return to university during the COVID pandemic in September 2020, we identified students with COVID-19 (student case-patients) by reviewing contact tracing records identifying attendance at university and residence in student accommodations identified by matching case-patients' residential addresses with national property databases. We determined COVID-19 rates in towns/cities with and without a university campus. We identified 53,430 student case-patients during September 1-December 31, 2020, which accounted for 2.7% of all cases during this period. Student case-patients increased rapidly after the start of the term, driven initially by cases and outbreaks in student accommodations. Case rates among students 18-23 years of age doubled at the start of term in towns with universities. Our findings highlight the need for face-to-face and control measures to reduce virus transmission.

• Publisher: U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subject: 2019 novel coronavirus disease / 2020 AD / Age / Asymptomatic / Classification / College campuses / College students / Colleges & universities / Contact tracing / coronavirus disease / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / Disease transmission / Effect of Returning University Students on COVID-19 Cases in England, 2020 / Epidemics / Health aspects / Health services / Higher education / Learning / Outbreaks / Pandemics / Patients / Population / Public transportation / Risk factors / SARS-CoV-2 / Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 / Statistics / Students / Surveillance / Towns / United Kingdom / University students / viruses