Objective

To describe the epidemiological trends of covid-19 cases in public schoolteachers and students enrolled in public schools during the lockdown restrictions (March-November 2020) in Bogotá, Colombia.

Methods

Descriptive study. We used data from the epidemiological surveillance of acute respiratory infection (ARI) and covid-19 infections in public schoolteachers and students enrolled in public schools in Bogotá. The data were collected through a questionnaire that included sociodemographic, clinical, and epidemiological information, between March 21 and November 20, 2020.

Results

A total of 5,252 ARI cases were reported in students, with an incidence of 660.64 per 100,000 students, while 834 ARI cases were reported among teachers, with an incidence of 2,354.93 per 100,000 teachers. The most affected age group among students was 6 to 11 years old, comprising 45.1% of cases. For schoolteachers, the most affected age group was 30 to 39 years old, accounting for 35.9% of cases. The peak in ARI cases for both students and schoolteachers occurred between July 21 and August 20.

Conclusion

Both students and schoolteachers exhibited lower cumulative incidences than the general population during lockdown restrictions in Bogotá. Given the current state of the pandemic and public health measures implemented to control it, a comprehensive risk/benefit analysis should be conducted before considering new lockdown restrictions that involve the closure of schools.