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2d ago

Study Finds Youngest Students Carry Highest Load of Respiratory Viruses

Researchers tracked more than 800 people in a Kansas City district to establish a school baseline for how common these infections are.

FILE - Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford visitor Sheila Garcia, 3, wears before visiting a patient at the hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., Oct. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
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Overview

  • Pre-kindergarten and elementary children had virus detected most often, with 92% testing positive at least once, compared with 86% of middle schoolers, 77% of high schoolers, and 76% of staff.
  • Overall, more than 85% of participants had at least one respiratory virus detected during the study period and over 80% experienced an acute respiratory illness.
  • Rhinovirus was most common, found in 65% of participants, seasonal coronaviruses were detected in about 30%, and SARS-CoV-2 appeared in roughly 15%.
  • Pre-K students had the highest illness rates, and pediatricians note young children can encounter up to 10 respiratory infections a year as their immune systems learn.
  • The study reinforces routine steps for families and schools such as staying current on COVID-19 and flu vaccines, frequent handwashing, covering coughs, cleaning high-touch surfaces, and improving airflow.