{
  "abstract": "During the COVID-19 pandemic, secondary schools (∼ages 11-19) were closed for a substantial time, causing educational disruption and widening socio-economic inequalities. Clear evidence on the transmission impact of secondary school closures is essential to inform future pandemic policymaking, yet remains limited. There are two issues: analyses often do not disaggregate primary and secondary education, despite differences in contact patterns and transmission potential; and closures coincided with other public health measures, complicating causal attribution. We synthesized evidence on the population-level impact of secondary school closures on transmission, and considered how studies attempted to isolate this effect. We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines. Five databases were searched in March 2025 for school closure/reopening and SARS-CoV-2/influenza. Title/abstract screening combined manual review (Covidence) with machine-assisted screening (ASReview). Full-text screening, quality assessment, and data extraction were completed in Covidence. Eligible studies quantified changes in population-level transmission associated with secondary school closure/reopening. Of 6,334 records identified, 23 studies were included. Many were excluded for not distinguishing secondary schools (or ages 11-19) from other school settings. Included studies showed heterogeneity in outcome measures and contextual factors. Nineteen studies addressed SARS-CoV-2 and four influenza. Findings were varied: some studies reported transmission reductions following closures or increases after reopening, while others found minimal effects on transmission. The utility of existing COVID-19 literature is limited when school settings are not clearly defined. Because adolescents and children differ in contact patterns, age- or school-level disaggregation is needed for valid inference. This review strengthens the evidence base for more informed decision-making in future pandemics.\n\nKey messages: • Clear evidence on the population-level impact of secondary school closures on respiratory viruses is limited and methodologically heterogeneous, due to poor school-level disaggregation.\n\n• Better age- or school-specific definitions are needed to improve causal attribution and strengthen the evidence base for infectious disease control policies in future pandemics.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "abstract",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "L C Van Eck"
    },
    {
      "name": "T Florschütz"
    },
    {
      "name": "C M De Korne"
    },
    {
      "name": "PCJL Bruijning-Verhagen"
    },
    {
      "name": "AJM Schreijer"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/14h120b3hpcf7.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1645",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13698181/",
  "id": "14h120b3hpcf7",
  "issns": [
    "1101-1262",
    "1464-360X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1645",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "6. Poster Displays"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/MED00860"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/SOC01210"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "AcademicSubjects/SOC02610"
    ],
    [
      "heading",
      "DN. Infectious diseases control"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2611|COVID-19 epidemiological studies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223651910",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13698181/pdf/?tool=EBI",
  "pmcid": "PMC13698181",
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": "Oxford University Press",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/14h120b3hpcf7.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:06Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13698181",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1645"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:21:40Z",
      "native_id": "PMC:PMC13698181",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13698181"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "mathematics",
      "origin": "openalex:2611|COVID-19 epidemiological studies",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The impact of secondary school closures on pandemic control: a systematic literature review",
  "title_text": "The impact of secondary school closures on pandemic control: a systematic literature review",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:35:05Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/14h120b3hpcf7",
  "venue": "The European Journal of Public Health",
  "versions": []
}