The decision to resume face-to-face school learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic has been vindicated by fresh research showing children transmitted the disease at minimal rates during the "first wave".
The report was released as two Sydney schools were forced to close for deep cleaning after three students were diagnosed with coronavirus.
The study, published in The Lancet Journal of Child and Adolescent Health on Tuesday, analysed the spread of COVID-19 in 15 NSW schools and 10 childcare centres between January and April 2020.
It found that no COVID-19 transmissions occurred in 90 per cent of those schools and childcare centres in the term one period, and just five secondary transmissions at schools were recorded.
There were some 1448 close contacts of 27 confirmed COVID-19 cases in schools and childcare centres over this period.
Study lead author, the University of Sydney's Professor Kristine Macartney, said the data confirmed COVID-19 was milder and less infectious in children.
There were very few transmissions between children, or from children to adults.
"COVID-19 transmission in schools appears to be considerably less than that seen for other respiratory viruses, such as influenza," Prof Macartney said in a statement.
"This supports the previous findings that COVID-19 transmission in educational settings can be kept low and manageable in the context of an effective pandemic response that includes contact tracing and quarantine, and temporary school closures for cleaning if someone is found to be infected."
The NSW government gradually resumed face-to-face school learning from May 11, having recommended in late March that students learn from home.
Researchers also released additional data for terms two and three in NSW. In term two, no secondary transmissions were recorded in schools or childcare centres after COVID-19 cases were confirmed in six sites.
In term three, two secondary transmissions have occurred to date in 11 virus-affected sites.
"Understanding how the virus spreads in our context will assist modellers, policymakers, healthcare providers and the public to understand the risk of COVID-19 in educational settings and help in decision-making around school closures and reopenings," Prof Macartney said.
Australian Associated Press
