Clusters of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Across Six Schools for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Introduction: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are at increased risk for adverse outcomes from coronavirus disease 2019. Clusters of COVID-19 infections can be used to track SARS-CoV-2 transmission. This is particularly important in environments frequently used for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as schools.

Building School-Academic Partnerships to Implement COVID-19 Testing in Underserved Populations.

Objective: In April 2021, the US government made substantial investments in students' safe return to school by providing resources for school-based coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mitigation strategies, including COVID-19 diagnostic testing. However, testing uptake and access among vulnerable children and children with medical complexities remained unclear.

Methods: The Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Underserved Populations program was established by the National Institutes of Health to implement and evaluate COVID-19 testing programs in underserved populations.

Recommendations for SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Children With Disabilities and Medical Complexity.

Schools provide important services that cannot be provided virtually to children with medical complexity and children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, yet these children are among the most at risk from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To keep schools open for children with medical complexity and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, we implemented severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 testing at 3 sites across the United States. We evaluated testing strategies for staff and students at each site, including specimen source (nasopharyngeal or saliva), test type (polymerase chain reaction or rapid antigen), and frequency and type (screening versus exposure/symptomatic) of testing provided.

COVID-19-Related Facilitators and Barriers to In-Person Learning for Children With Intellectual and Development Disabilities.

Background: Schools provide essential functions for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), but their vulnerability to infection with SARS-CoV-2 are a barrier to in-person learning. This qualitative study aimed to understand how weekly SARS-CoV-2 screening testing of students and staff could best facilitate in-school learning during the pandemic.

Methods: Thirty-one focus groups were held with school staff and parents of children with IDD to examine the perceptions of COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 school year.

Understanding educators' perspectives and experiences of COVID-19 in schools serving children with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted educators, both personally and professionally. However, very little is known about the extent of these impacts among educators' serving children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The present study surveyed 230 educators (teachers, staff, and administrators) to assess their wellbeing, concerns during the pandemic, and perceived importance of various COVID-19 school mitigation strategies.

Supporting COVID-19 School Safety for Children With Disabilities and Medical Complexity.

Children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and children with medical complexity (CMC) have been disproportionally impacted by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, including school closures. Children with IDDs and CMC rely on schools for a vast array of educational, therapeutic, medical, and social needs. However, maintaining safe schools for children with IDDs and CMC during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic may be difficult because of the unique challenges of implementing prevention strategies, such as masking, social distancing, and hand hygiene in this high-risk environment.

SARS-CoV-2 screening testing in schools for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Background: Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools primarily for typically developing children is rare. However, less is known about transmission in schools for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who are often unable to mask or maintain social distancing. The objectives of this study were to determine SARS-CoV-2 positivity and in-school transmission rates using weekly screening tests for school staff and students and describe the concurrent deployment of mitigation strategies in six schools for children with IDD.

SARS-CoV-2 Screening Testing in Schools for Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

BACKGROUNDTransmission of SARS-CoV-2 in schools primarily for typically developing children is rare. However, less is known about transmission in schools for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), who are often unable to mask or maintain social distancing. The objectives of this study were to determine SARS-CoV-2 positivity and in-school transmission rates using weekly screening tests for school staff and students and describe the concurrent deployment of mitigation strategies in six schools for children with IDD.