title: The US 2009 A(H1N1) influenza epidemic: quantifying the impact of school openings on the reproductive number.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is limited information on differences in the dynamics of influenza transmission during time periods when schools are open compared with periods when they are closed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on school openings, influenza surveillance, and absolute humidity were incorporated into a regression model to estimate the increase in the reproductive number for the 2009 A(H1N1) influenza pandemic associated with the opening of school in 10 US states.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The estimate for the average increase in the reproductive number for the 2009 A(H1N1) influenza pandemic associated with the beginning of the school year was 19.5% (95% credible interval = 10%-29%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whether schools are open or closed can have a major impact on community transmission dynamics of influenza.
authors.affiliation: From the aDepartment of Epidemiology, Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; bDepartment of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; and cDepartment of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Karen E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lipsitch
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shaman
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goldstein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D016014:Linear Models; D058873:Pandemics; D012574:Schools; D012621:Seasons; D018571:Sentinel Surveillance; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology