Apr 2, 2021 Closing schools should be last resort, researchers say Community-based infection control measures were determined to have a far greater impact on the spread of Covid-19 than closing schools in a newly reported modeling study. Researchers examined the association of school reopening or closing schools compared to other community-based infection control interventions on new and total Covid-19 cases in the decision analytical modeling analysis. Based on the findings, they concluded that community-based interventions designed to reduce SARS-CoV-2 infectons — such as restricting gatherings, limiting workplace exposures, and wearing face masks — had a greater impact than closing schools when schools adopted aggressive infection control protocols.