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Table 3 Diagnostic utility of common symptom combinations in children 5–18 years old with illness symptoms who were tested for COVID-19a

From: Utility of illness symptoms for predicting COVID-19 infections in children

Symptom combinations

 = Symptom absent

 +  = Symptom present

Blank = Symptom not considered in this combination

% with this symptom combination

Positive

Likelihood Ratio

(95% CI)

Number Needed to Screen to find 1 COVID-19 case

Estimated Missed School Days to find

1 COVID-19 case

Fever or chills

Cough

Congestion/Rhinorrhea

Loss of Taste/Smell

Other Symptoms

Fever or chills

Cough

Congestion/Rhinorrhea

Loss of taste/smell

 

0.5%

6.32 (1.29–31)†

352

6

Fever or chills

 

23.2%

0.67 (0.47–0.97)†

39

31

Cough

 

8.0%

1.74 (1.11–2.75)†

50

14

Loss of taste/smell

 

1.1%

3.95 (1.31–12)†

211

8

Congestion/Rhinorrhea

 

14.0%

1.20 (0.82–1.75)

39

19

Fever or chills

Congestion/Rhinorrhea

 

7.5%

0.97 (0.54–1.74)

88

23

Cough

Congestion/Rhinorrhea

 

13.5%

0.41 (0.22–0.77)†

106

49

 

Sore Throatb

14.0%

0.48 (0.23–1.00)

89

38

 

Nausea, Vomiting, or Diarrhea

10.2%

0.32 (0.14–0.72)†

175

61

 

Fatiguec

8.0%

1.84 (0.28–12)

175

42

 

Abdominal Painb

6.7%

0.43 (0.13–1.35)

214

43

 

Headacheb

5.9%

0.55 (0.22–1.37)

102

12

 

Muscle Aches

4.9%

0.85 (0.39–1.84)

150

25

 

Shortness of breath

0.5%

0.00 (0.04–12)

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  1. Includes children from all 3 sites combined, with and without reported COVID exposure. “Fever or chills” listed as “fever.” Assumes that each child sent for COVID-19 testing misses 3 days of school, for PCR testing. If only 1 day school missed per child, then estimated missed school days = number needed to screen
  2. || Number Needed to Screen unreportable; no one with this symptom tested positive
  3. aChildren may have had additional symptoms reported that are not considered in this summary
  4. bIncludes only children tested at Site 2 and 3; Site 1 symptom screener did not include
  5. cIncludes only children tested at Site 2; Sites 1 and 3 symptom screeners did not include
  6. p < 0.05