Effect of planned school breaks on student absenteeism due to influenza-like illness in school aged children-Oregon School District, Wisconsin September 2014-June 2019.
Cecilia HeDerek NortonJonathan L TemteShari BarlowMaureen D GossEmily TemteCristalyne BellGuanhua ChenAmra UzicaninPublished in: Influenza and other respiratory viruses (2024)
These findings suggest that brief breaks of in-person schooling, such as planned breaks lasting 9-16 calendar days, can effectively reduce influenza in schools and community spread. Additional analyses investigating the impact of well-timed shorter breaks on a-ILI may determine an optimal duration for brief school closures to effectively suppress community transmission of influenza.