NCT04531254

Brief Summary

This will be a prospective study simulating return to school for two full days prior to the start of the school year in September. Volunteer students and teachers from six grade ranges will be recruited to participate in the study. In each grade range, there will be two classes that will participate, one that will be assigned to wear face masks/coverings at all times (experimental group/class) and the other that will not wear face masks/coverings at all times (control group/class). Students will be randomized to either the masking at all times (experimental across all grades) or no masking (control across JK-Grade 4) / masking only when physical distance can be maintained (control across Grade 5-Grade 12) class in their appropriate grade. Personal behaviours and person-to-person interactions will be recorded using video cameras. In addition, a safe biological indicator will be applied to the hands to simulate potential asymptomatic infection in a subset of students. Other students will have sanitizer applied so that students are blinded to who has the indicator. Cameras will be used to document how the indicator moves throughout the classroom.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
174

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable covid19

Timeline
Completed

Started Aug 2020

Shorter than P25 for not_applicable covid19

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 10, 2020

Completed
14 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 24, 2020

Completed
4 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 28, 2020

Completed
3 days until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

August 31, 2020

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

August 31, 2020

Completed
Last Updated

November 30, 2022

Status Verified

November 1, 2022

Enrollment Period

21 days

First QC Date

August 24, 2020

Last Update Submit

November 25, 2022

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Total number of hand-to-face contacts per participant per hour

    The number of touches to the face made per hour in the simulated school environment

    Day 2

Secondary Outcomes (15)

  • Total number of hand-to-mucus membrane contacts per participant per hour

    Day 2

  • Total number of hand-to-non-mucus membrane contacts per participant per hour

    Day 2

  • Total number of instances where participants are within 1 and 2 meters of each other

    Day 2

  • Total number of glo germ transfers to another person

    Day 2

  • Total number of glo germ transfers to teacher

    Day 2

  • +10 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Masking at all times

EXPERIMENTAL

Children in this group will be asked to wear a face mask/covering in the classroom and common areas during the simulation

Behavioral: Wearing a face mask at all times

No mask/masking when physical distancing is not maintained

NO INTERVENTION

Children in this group will not be asked to wear a mask (JK-Grade 4) or only asked to wear a mask when physical distancing in the classroom cannot be maintained (Grade 5-Grade 12) during the simulation

Interventions

Children in this group will be asked to wear a face mask in the classroom and common areas during the simulation

Masking at all times

Eligibility Criteria

Age4 Years - 18 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • To be included in the study, students must have attended a structure learning environment during 2019-2020 school year and provide informed consent (student in Grade 7 or older) or parental consent (SK - Grade 6) and assent (if appropriate). To be included in the study, teachers must be certified teachers and provide informed consent to participate.

You may not qualify if:

  • require additional resources or support beyond what can be provided by the single class teacher
  • have been exposed to an individual that has tested positive for COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to the simulation
  • test positive for COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to the simulation
  • have signs or symptoms of COVID-19, as identified on the screening form (See Screening Form) before the simulations
  • travel outside Canada in the last 14 days
  • known hypersensitivity or allergy to the biological indicator (Fluorescein dye/GloGerm)

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

The Hospital for Sick Children

Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X8, Canada

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Science M, Caldeira-Kulbakas M, Parekh RS, Maguire BR, Carroll S, Anthony SJ, Bitnun A, Bourns LE, Campbell DM, Cohen E, Dodds A, Dubey V, Friedman JN, Greenwood JL, Hopkins JP, Imgrund R, Korczak DJ, Looi T, Louca E, Mertz D, Nashid J, Panzera G, Schneiderman JE, Schwartz KL, Streitenberger L, Vuppal S, Walsh CM, Juni P, Matava CT; Back-to-School COVID-19 School Study Group. Effect of Wearing a Face Mask on Hand-to-Face Contact by Children in a Simulated School Environment: The Back-to-School COVID-19 Simulation Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2022 Dec 1;176(12):1169-1175. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.3833.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

COVID-19

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pneumonia, ViralPneumoniaRespiratory Tract InfectionsInfectionsVirus DiseasesCoronavirus InfectionsCoronaviridae InfectionsNidovirales InfectionsRNA Virus InfectionsLung DiseasesRespiratory Tract Diseases

Study Officials

  • Michelle Science

    The Hospital for Sick Children

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
OTHER
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Infectious Disease Physician

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 24, 2020

First Posted

August 28, 2020

Study Start

August 10, 2020

Primary Completion

August 31, 2020

Study Completion

August 31, 2020

Last Updated

November 30, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-11

Locations