A Decade of Discovery: ORCHARDS Concludes After Ten Years of Groundbreaking Research

After more than a decade of groundbreaking work, the Oregon Child Absenteeism Due to Respiratory Disease Study (ORCHARDS) has concluded. Launched in 2014, ORCHARDS became one of the most comprehensive and long-running community-based studies of respiratory illness in school-aged children in the United States. Its legacy is one of scientific innovation, community partnership, and real-world impact.

A Unique Scientific Contribution

Reflecting on the study, which has its academic home at the University of Wisconsin Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, principal investigator Jonathan Temte, MD, PhD, along with research program manager Shari Barlow and researcher Maureen Goss, expressed nostalgia for the early days and the friendships formed throughout the years. "We weren't just collecting data-we were educating families, building trust, and making science accessible," said Barlow.

Spanning from September 2014 through the COVID-19 pandemic and into the recovery period, ORCHARDS provided an unprecedented look at how respiratory viruses affect children and families over time. "It's the most extensive study of its kind," added Goss, "tracking a school district population through pre-pandemic, pandemic, and post-pandemic phases."

The study's design allowed researchers to observe yearly patterns of viral transmission, including influenza and COVID-19, and how these viruses moved through entire households. ORCHARDS was among the first to document reinfections, including one of the world's earliest confirmed cases of COVID-19 reinfection and the first known reinfection with the same influenza strain within one month of initial infection.

Innovation in Action

ORCHARDS adapted quickly to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. By March 6 of that year, the team had already updated protocols to continue data collection safely. When schools shut down, the study did not miss a single day. The team pivoted to self-swabbing and contactless drop-offs and trained school health staff in rapid testing-efforts that helped maintain momentum and public health surveillance.

The study also served as a training ground for future public health professionals. Many team members went on to pursue advanced degrees in medicine, public health, and population health.

Community at the Core

The success of ORCHARDS was not just in the data-it lived in the daily experiences of families, educators, and leaders across the Oregon School District.

For parent Lynea LaVoy, the study offered reassurance and practical support. "It gave me peace of mind knowing what my kids did or didn't have-and how to protect our family and the community," she shared. The professionalism and kindness of the research team stood out, and her daughter's reinfection with the same influenza strain became part of a landmark journal article. "It felt like we were part of important research trying to help others navigate an unknown time."

School nurse Rebecca McCabe echoed that sentiment, describing ORCHARDS as a cornerstone of the district's health response during the early days of the pandemic. She believes rapid testing with the Sofia machine-a portable analyzer used for rapid diagnostic testing-gave families fast results and kept schools safer, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also sparked student curiosity, improved hygiene practices, and helped families avoid unnecessary clinic visits. "I'm proud of the impact and would absolutely recommend this kind of partnership," McCabe added. "I'm sad it ended, but the lessons remain."

School district superintendent Leslie Bergstrom saw ORCHARDS help shape district-wide decisions. "It became a community perk-people thought of it as just part of the district," she said. The study's data helped guide calendar adjustments to reduce flu transmission, and its collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention empowered informed choices. "It shows how education and medicine can connect to build stronger communities for kids."

Together, their reflections highlight how ORCHARDS became more than a study-it became a trusted resource and teaching tool.

Beyond individual experiences, ORCHARDS was deeply rooted in the larger Oregon community. From school science nights to National Night Out events, the ORCHARDS team made it a priority to engage with the public.

This community connection paid off. Each school received an annual incentive to help offset costs, and participants received gift cards. Participation rates were remarkably high, with 99 percent of required specimens collected and many families participating multiple times. "It was rare for a family to only participate once," noted Goss. Additionally, some of the school incentive funds were used to reduce outstanding school lunch balances.

A Legacy of Collaboration and Looking Ahead

ORCHARDS was built on strong partnerships-with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, the State Laboratory of Hygiene, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and even the veterinary sciences department at UW-Madison. According to Temte, who also serves as associate dean for public health and community engagement for the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, collaborations with other UW researchers like Tom Friedrich and Shelby and David O'Conner, enabled cutting-edge work in genomic sequencing and air sampling in schools.

The study also contributed to industry innovation, serving as a testing ground for rapid influenza tests and helping validate the effectiveness of nasal swabs for self-collection.

The data collected through ORCHARDS will continue to inform public health policy and pandemic preparedness. A recent publication from the study offers some of the best evidence to date on the impact of masking, distancing, and school breaks on virus transmission in children.

As Temte reflected, "ORCHARDS started with a simple question about school absenteeism and grew into something much bigger-a platform for discovery, education, and community resilience."

The ORCHARDS website will continue to host the study's extensive list of publications, ensuring that its insights remain accessible to researchers, educators, policymakers, and the community members who made this work possible.

Published: September 2025