TY - JOUR AU - Nickbakhsh, Sema AU - Hughes, Joseph AU - Christofidis, Nicolaos AU - Griffiths, Emily AU - Shaaban, Sharif AU - Enright, Jessica AU - Smollett, Katherine AU - Nomikou, Kyriaki AU - Palmalux, Natasha AU - Tong, Lily AU - Carmichael, Stephen AU - Sreenu, Vattipally B. AU - Orton, Richard J. AU - Goldstein, Emily AU - Tomb, Rachael AU - Templeton, Kate AU - Gunson, Rory N. AU - da Silva Filipe, Ana AU - Milosevic, Catriona AU - Thomson, Emma AU - Robertson, David L. AU - Holden, Matthew T.G. AU - Illingworth, Christopher J.R. AU - Smith-Palmer, Alison PY - 2022 DA - July TI - Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in a university outbreak setting and implications for public health planning JO - Scientific Reports DO - http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15661-1 AB - Whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 has occurred at an unprecedented scale, and can be exploited for characterising outbreak risks at the fine-scale needed to inform control strategies. One setting at continued risk of COVID-19 outbreaks are higher education institutions, associated with student movements at the start of term, close living conditions within residential halls, and high social contact rates. Here we analysed SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences in combination with epidemiological data to investigate a large cluster of student cases associated with University of Glasgow accommodation in autumn 2020, Scotland. We identified 519 student cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection associated with this large cluster through contact tracing data, with 30% sequencing coverage for further analysis. We estimated at least 11 independent introductions of SARS-CoV-2 into the student population, with four comprising the majority of detected cases and consistent with separate outbreaks. These four outbreaks were curtailed within a week following implementation of control measures. The impact of student infections on the local community was short-term despite an underlying increase in community infections. Our study highlights the need for context-specific information in the formation of public health policy for higher educational settings. PB - Springer Nature UR - http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/273752/ KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19) ER