This study was conducted with the CDC, Atlanta, COVID-19 Response Team, Epidemic Intelligence Service, Georgia Department of Public Health and Ipsum Diagnostics processed all the samples for the study. Ipsum Diagnostics is acknowledged on page 16.
There is much known about outbreaks in adult congregate settings as this has rapidly escalated much of the pandemic. We don’t have the same amount of understanding about susceptibility and transmission dynamics of outbreaks in youth congregate settings.
In June 2020 a large COVID-19 outbreak occurred at a sleep-away youth camp in Georgia. It affected a median age of 15 (ranging from 12 to 16). There was a requirement for proof of a negative SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification or antigen test within 12 days of arrival to the camp. Based on illness onset date (first positive sample collected), 12 cases that were infected before arriving at the camp. There were both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. On the first day of camp session, the instantaneous reproduction number was 10. This is a retrospective cohort study of campers and staff to determine the extent of the outbreak and assess factors contributing to transmission.