Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40575098›Full record

Observational studyFrontiers in public health2025

Impact of lifting school mask mandates on community SARS-CoV-2 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths: a retrospective observational study.

Zeynep Ertem, Anseh Danesharasteh, Sonia T Anand, Nicholas J Jackson, Richard E Nelson, Elissa M Schechter-Perkins, Lloyd Fisher, Shira Doron, Westyn Branch-Elliman

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Frontiers in public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Zeynep ErtemSchool of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, United States.
Anseh DanesharastehSchool of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, Binghamton University, State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, United States.
Sonia T AnandVA Boston Cooperative Studies Program, Boston, MA, United States.
Nicholas J JacksonUCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Richard E NelsonIDEAS Center, Veterans Affairs Salt Lake City Healthcare System, Salt Lake City, UT, United States.
Elissa M Schechter-PerkinsDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Boston University School Chobanian and Avedisian of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States.
Lloyd FisherReliant Medical Group, Worcester, MA, United States.
Shira DoronDivision of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States.
Westyn Branch-EllimanUCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: School masking mandates were widely adopted as a pandemic control measure, however, limited data are available regarding their effectiveness as a strategy for reducing burden of disease in the surrounding community. Objective: To evaluate the impact of school masking policy de-adoption (mask-lifting) on SARS-CoV-2 incidence rates, hospitalizations, and deaths in the surrounding community. Methods: Results: Conclusion: This study evaluating the impact of lifting of mask mandates in schools, analyzed in two ways, was consistent results ranging from no impact to a small but statistically significant impact of the policy change on SARS-CoV-2 case and severe outcomes rates in the surrounding community. Findings can be used to inform future pandemic policy responses for elementary and secondary schools.

Indexed as

COVID-19HospitalizationMasksSchoolsAdolescentAdultAgedChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesSARS-CoV-2COVID-19healthcare policiesinfection preventionmaskrespiratory virusSARS-CoV-2schools

Identifiers

PMID40575098
PMCPMC12198242

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.