June 4, 2021

COVID-19 Transmission in Group Living Environments and Households

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Transmission

Keywords (Tags): congregate settings, transmission

• A study of persons with recent contact with patients with SARS-CoV-2 (N=4,550) found that risk of transmission was highest among persons living in dormitories (28%) and was similar for persons with household contact (13%) and those with close contact outside of their residence (11%). The transmission rate in these three groups were significantly higher than among those who had low-risk contact with SARS-CoV-2 outside their residence (3%). However, no secondary transmission occurred in two of three dormitories included in the study, where mask wearing was enforced and residents did not share rooms. The authors conclude that appropriate infection control measures and quarantine of residents with SARS-CoV-2 infection can decrease the risk of secondary transmission in group living environments. 

Akaishi et al. (June 2021). COVID-19 Transmission in Group Living Environments and Households. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91220-4