Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

March 1, 2021

Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2

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  • A retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 risk among exposed children and adults in households where an index case was diagnosed found an overall infection risk of 10.1%, with median time to diagnosis of 3 days after positive diagnosis of the index case. The study used home addresses recorded in electronic health records to identify the number of household members in the period between March 4 and May 17, 2020. 7,262 index cases were linked to 17,917 additional at-risk individuals assigned to the same addresses, 38.4% of whom resided in households of 6 to 10 people. Independent factors significantly associated with higher transmission risk were age greater than 18 years and multiple comorbid conditions. 

Metlay et al. (Feb 26, 2021). Household Transmission of SARS-CoV-2. JAMA Network Open. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.0304