The risk of Covid-19 infection from a loved one is five times higher than from an outside person.
- In total, 11.8% of people living under the same roof as an infected person caught Covid-19 compared to 1.9% of contact people outside the home.
- The most concerned are 10-19 year olds, who represent 18.6% of contaminations at home against 5.3% for 0-9 year olds.
- The researchers note that wearing a mask in the home should be investigated, especially if there are people at risk.
In the epidemic crisis we are going through, the risk of Covid-19 infection is everywhere. This risk is even greater among our relatives reveals a South Korean study published on July 16 in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. Led by around thirty researchers, it concludes that the risk of contamination by someone close to us is five times greater than by someone outside.
The closure of schools, an essential decision
Scientists studied the profiles of 5,706 patients infected with Covid-19 and followed the chains of contamination of people who came into contact with them, a total of 59,073 people, between January 20 and March 27. Among them, 10,592 are relatives living in the same household as the infected and 48,481 are people encountered outside the home. The contamination differential between these two groups is significant with five times more infected relatives than outsiders. In total, 11.8% of people living under the same roof caught the virus when 1.9% of people encountered outside were infected with the virus.
In the detail of people infected at home, we see that the most affected are 10-19 year olds. This age group represents 18.6% of contaminations, against 5.3% for 0-9 year olds, the group with the lowest contamination rate. These results confirm the school closure measures. “Children who attend daycare or preschool are at high risk of transmitting respiratory viruses to family membersdetail the researchers. The low detection rate of household contacts of preschool children in South Korea could be attributed to social distancing during these times. Yet a recent report from Shenzhen, China, showed the proportion of children infected increased during the outbreak from 2% to 13%, suggesting the importance of school closures..” Patients infected by someone outside their home are mostly over 40 years old.
The mask at home, an option to study
The researchers add that in the context of the reopening of schools and the relaxation of social distancing, the role of household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 must be taken very seriously. “Contact tracing is especially important in light of upcoming epidemic waves, for which social distancing and personal hygiene will remain the most viable prevention options.note the researchers in conclusion of the study. It is essential to understand the role of hygiene and infection control measures in reducing the spread in households, and the role of the mask inside the home, especially if family members are at high risk. , should be studied.”
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