Teachers and their household members were not at increased risk of hospital admission with covid-19 at any time during the 2020-21 academic year compared with similar working age adults, including during periods when schools were fully open, a new study published in the British Medical Journal has found.
Researchers looked at data between March 2020 and July 2021 and found there was no higher risk of hospitalisation among teachers than other working-age adults – and were found to be at lower risk of severe Covid-19.
The study concluded that: “compared with adults of working age who are otherwise similar, teachers and their household members were not found to be at increased risk of hospital admission with covid-19 and were found to be at lower risk of severe covid-19.
“These findings should reassure those who are engaged in face-to-face teaching,” it found.
The study, carried out jointly by Public Health Scotland and the University of Glasgow found that when schools were mostly closed, teachers were 50% less likely than the general working population to be admitted to hospital.
When schools were open, the risk in both groups was similar.
It noted that prompt uptake of the vaccine among teachers may have contributed to their protection from the Delta variant.
Dr Lynda Fenton, an author of the study, said: “Education is central to allow all children and young people to realise their potential, and teachers are a critical part of this.
“By carrying out this study, we have obtained a better understanding of the risks for teachers since the start of the pandemic. These findings contribute to the knowledge needed when making decisions about how to deliver education in these challenging times.
“While we were only able to look at the risk for teachers, it’s also important to consider other education staff when informing decision-making. That’s why Public Health Scotland are currently looking into repeating this research for Early Learning and Childcare staff and would welcome collaborations with other staff groups.”
David McAllister, professor of clinical epidemiology and medical informatics at the University of Glasgow also an author of the study, said: “Together with the finding that teachers were at lower risk of severe Covid-19, and that people who shared a household with teachers were not at increased risk, this is likely to be broadly reassuring for people involved in face-to-face teaching.
“It is important to note that during the period where the Delta variant was circulating, uptake of vaccination among teachers was high, and we would continue to encourage everyone offered a vaccine to take this up.”
The researchers concluded that it was not “possible to say” why teachers are not at higher risk than the average working-age adult. Most teachers were young (mean age 42), were women (80%), and had no comorbidities (84%), the study said.
It was suggested that teachers might be generally healthier or more careful about Covid-19 related behaviours than other occupational groups.