Effects of school closures, 2008 winter influenza season, Hong Kong.
In winter 2008, kindergartens and primary schools in Hong Kong were closed for 2 weeks after media coverage indicated that 3 children had died, apparently from influenza. We examined prospective influenza surveillance data before, during, and after the closure. We did not find a substantial effect on community transmission.
Cowling
Benjamin J
BJ
School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, People's Republic of China. bcowling@hku.hk
Lau
Eric H Y
EH
Lam
Conrad L H
CL
Cheng
Calvin K Y
CK
Kovar
Jana
J
Chan
Kwok Hung
KH
Peiris
J S Malik
JS
Leung
Gabriel M
GM
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012574:Schools; D012621:Seasons