Objectives: We explored teachers’ emotional reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the association between COVID-19 risk management and these emotional reactions. Methods: We used cross-sectional data from 2665 teachers working at public schools. Participants responded to a questionnaire in May 2020. The analyses were adjusted for sex, age, cohabitation, and region. Results: Knowledge about adequate test behavior and feeling secure regarding colleagues’ actions to hinder spread of virus were associated with less frequent emotional reactions. Lack of access to personal protective equipment and exposure to infected pupils, parents or colleagues were associated with more frequent emotional reactions. Conclusion: Similar to other groups of frontline employees, teachers experience negative emotional reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gaining knowledge about teachers’ worries and fears during pandemics is an important first step enabling leaders and occupational health professionals to address these.

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Background Schoolteachers play a major role in the society's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. When schools are open teachers are responsible for hindering spread of SARS-CoV-2, while carrying out their core task of teaching. This double role as well as the risk of infection may affect mental health in this occupational group. Therefore, we investigated schoolteachers' emotional reactions to COVID-19 and mental health during three phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Denmark. We further analyzed if teachers, who belonged to a COVID-19 risk group, had more emotional reactions and poorer mental health than “non-risk” groups. Methods We collected questionnaire data in May, June, and November-December 2020 and used data from 2665 teachers employed at public schools (871 individuals participated in all three surveys). Participants reported their fear of infection, fear of transmission of infection to their home or pupils, perceived burnout and stress, and worries about their ability to manage the working conditions. We also had information about COVID-19 risk group status, sex, age, organization of teaching (physical presence or remote teaching), and the pupils' grade. We estimated prevalence ratios and took repeated measures into account. Results Fear of infection and transmission of infection as well as burnout, stress, and worries increased statistically significantly with 27-84% from May to November-December 2020 (p < 0.05). We also found that teachers, who were particularly vulnerable to the adverse consequences of COVID-19, had the highest prevalence of fear of infection and poor mental health. Conclusions The dual role of teaching and virus control along with concerns regarding the health consequences of an infection may contribute to the observed increase in emotional reactions to COVID-19 and poor mental health from the beginning of the pandemic to the beginning of the second wave. Key messages The results raise attention to the working conditions, exposure to infection and mental health of teachers being in the frontline when schools were open during the COVID-19 pandemic. School teachers play a major role in pandemic control along with teaching obligations, which warrants allocation of resources, clear guidelines, and possibilities for protection from infection.

Background Schoolteachers play an important role in limiting the spread of corona-virus among pupils while carrying out their core tasks. This double role affects teachers' mental health negatively. Still, open schools are important for pupils' learning and wellbeing. Hence, it is crucial to identify viable strategies for virus control that can be implemented in schools without draining teachers' resources. Thus, our aim was to analyze the sustainability of interventions aimed at hindering spread of virus in public schools. Methods The qualitative data consisted of 700 free text responses from a survey among 1332 Danish schoolteachers from Nov 25 to Dec 9, 2020, i.e. when facing the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Thematic Network Analysis, we analyzed the participants' answers to the question “What initiatives to prevent the spread of infection would you be able to carry out for a longer period of time?” Results Most initiatives consumed resources (financial, staffing, time, mental, and relational) to an extend that was unacceptable for the participants. Improved hygiene and ventilation were sustainable initiatives given that the allocation of responsibility was clear. The sustainability of using visor/facemask was compromised by its negative effects on social interactions and by stigma. Isolation of teachers, when having been in contact with infected pupils, had major consequences for the teachers' private life. Finally, the sustainability of initiatives to keep a physical distance was challenged by implications related to the possibility of comforting younger schoolchildren and teaching activities demanding proximity to pupils. Conclusions It should be ensured that schools have the resources needed to hinder spread of virus while delivering high quality teaching. In addition, our findings suggest that school leaders clarify the prioritization between preventive initiatives and core tasks, and inform about responsibilities and academic expectations. Key messages Actions to make preventive initiatives sustainable within school environments are highly needed to keep schools open during this and future pandemics. Policies should ensure that schools have the resources needed in order to hinder spread of virus while delivering high quality teaching.