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. 2021 May 19;6:100120. doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100120

Table 1.

Summary of cases and size of outbreaks reported to Public Health England (PHE) during the first half of the autumn term (31 August to 18 October 2020) in England.

School type
Primary n (% in primary schools) Secondary n (% in secondary schools) Both settings n (%) P value (primary vs secondary schools)*
Total number of schools 100 79 179
Total cases (% of cases across both settings) 799 1515 2314
Student cases 328 (41%) 1105 (73%) 1433 (62%) P <0.001
Staff cases 471 (59%) 410 (27%) 881 (38%)
Median (IQR) number of cases per outbreak 6 (4–10) 15 (8–28) 9 (5–16) P<0.001
Mode number of cases per outbreak 3 6 6
Total numbers of cases per outbreak 2–35 2–100 2–100
Index case in the outbreak
Teaching staff 48 (48%) 25 (32%) 73 (41%) P = 0.012
Student 35 (35%) 47 (59%) 82 (46%)
Non-teaching staff 9 (9%) 6 (8%) 15 (8%)
Another source 1 (1%) 0 (0%) 1 (1%)
Not reported 7 (7%) 1 (1%) 8 (4%)
Groups affected by the outbreak n (%) n (%) %
Staff only 6 (6%) 1 (1%) 7 (4%) P<0.001
1 year group only 39 (39%) 5 (6%) 44 (25%)
2 year groups 30 (30%) 7 (9%) 37 (21%)
3 or more year groups 25 (25%) 66 (84%) 91 (51%)

Proportions were compared using chi squared or Fishers Exact Test, medians with interquartile ranges were compared using the Mann-Whitney U Test.