# Trends in the Use of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic, February 2021 to December 2023: A Mixed Methods Study

## TL;DR

This study examines how schools in Ontario, Canada, used non-pharmaceutical interventions like hand hygiene and mask-wearing during the pandemic and found that adherence declined over time.

## Contribution

The study introduces a mixed methods approach to track adherence and attitudes toward NPIs in schools over a multi-year period.

## Key findings

- Participants reported higher adherence to NPIs than their coworkers and students.
- Adherence to NPIs declined over time.
- Six themes emerged from qualitative analysis, including the influence of time and emotional toll.

## Abstract

The use of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) was imperative to avoid prolonged school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to understand the levels of adherence to and attitudes towards NPIs from February 2021 to December 2023 in schools in Ontario, Canada. Participants reported how frequently they, their coworkers, and their students used five NPIs: hand hygiene, covering coughs, staying home when ill, wearing a mask, and physically distancing. Open text comments provided participants with the option to provide additional details. Our mixed methods approach incorporated a series of descriptive statistics calculated at consecutive time points and thematic analysis. Participants reported higher adherence to NPIs than their coworkers and students, with less than perfect adherence that declined over time. Six themes emerged from the qualitative analysis on NPI use in schools: (1) the influence of time; (2) managing competing priorities; (3) a lack of enabling factors; (4) a lack of reinforcing factors; (5) the responsive use of NPIs; and (6) an emotional toll. To reduce the transmission of future communicable diseases and resultant staff and student sick days, ongoing commitment to hand hygiene, covering coughs, and staying home when ill is required.