Latest CDC study: Coronavirus is hitting our homes at lightning speed. What is the chance that the whole family will become infected?

Coronavirus spreads rapidly in the home environment – it is enough for one of the household members to catch the infection. According to research by the American CDC agency, it infects about half of its family members. That is why it is so important to insulate and provide the infected with a separate bedroom and bathroom. All household members should also put on masks when entering common rooms.

1. During a week, the infected infects on average half of their household members, according to the CDC study
2. According to experts, the infection is passed on by both adults and children
3. How to reduce the risk of infection for other household members? Isolate elderly or immunocompromised people, for example by placing them on one side of the house
4. To reduce viral transmission, ventilate rooms frequently
5. Experts from the CDC recommend using the DDM principle (distance, masks and hand washing) also at home
6. You can find more about the coronavirus on the TvoiLokony home page

Coronavirus: family becomes infected within days

The research, part of the CDC-initiated project, included 101 coronavirus-infected people from Nashville, Tennessee and Marshfield, Wisconsin. They were conducted from April to September. The respondents lived together with another 191 people. All of them were trained to collect samples – nasal swabs and saliva samples – to test each other every day for 14 days. In addition, they also had to fill out a symptom diary.

102 people (53%) who lived with someone with COVID-19 caught the infection within a week. About 75 percent. secondary infections occurred within five days of the first symptoms of the disease in an infected household member. The rate of secondary infections caused by adult patients was 57 percent, falling to 43 percent when they were under 18 years of age.

In the surveyed households, there was an average of one person per bedroom. The day before the onset of symptoms, 69% sick people spent four or more hours in the same room with at least one family member. On the other hand, the day after their occurrence, the percentage was 40 percent. 40 percent patients reported that they had slept in the same room with one or more family members before falling ill, and 30 percent. after falling ill.

The authors of the article interpret the study results as follows: “In the study of systematic daily observation, transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus among family members was frequent and the rates of secondary infections were higher than those resulting from previous observations. There was significant transmission regardless of whether the patient was an adult or not ”.

The important finding was that less than half of the household had symptoms of infection when the test was detected, and many reported no symptoms for seven days. This confirms the possibility of transmitting pathogens by asymptomatic people.

Overall, the 53% common household infection rate is higher than previously documented (20% to 40%).

Having been diagnosed with a family history of coronavirus infection

It can be difficult to stay isolated from family members and roommates, especially if the apartment is not large and there are children in the house. Ideally, all household members should quarantine as soon as possible.

“If we live with elderly or immunocompromised people, try to place them on one side of the house so that children and other family members do not come into contact with them regularly,” said pediatrician Dr. Tanya Altmann, editor of the American Academy of Pediatrics. – If your child needs to be cared for, you may need to decide to isolate one adult with your child. One adult would take care of the child, while the other would be responsible for the rest of the family, adds the doctor.

“Meet your neighbors,” says University of Michigan pediatrician Dr. Jenny Radesky. – Maybe someone wants to deliver our purchases or pick up medicines from the pharmacy.

“If he is sick at home, the whole family should isolate themselves,” adds Dr. Radesky. – Coronavirus spread patterns suggest that people who live together are most at risk of getting infected. Children may not have symptoms but are actively spreading the infection.

To reduce the transmission of the virus in the home, let’s maintain airflow, open windows and ventilate frequently. Air filtering devices can also be used. Good ventilation helps remove aerosol droplets containing viruses from the air.

Let’s wash our hands at every opportunity. Let’s clean and disinfect all surfaces – not forgetting the refrigerator and handles.

Try not to stress excessively, let’s focus on healthy eating, light exercise and adequate sleep.

While there is no indication that pets are transmitting the infection, the CDC suggests keeping them away from sick people.

“Animals can transmit a variety of diseases,” say CDC officials. – If we have to look after or stay around a pet during illness, wash our hands before and after handling it.

What do you need to provide for the duration of the quarantine?

Here is a list of essentials from CDC experts. Every family in quarantine should have:

1. thermometer and a disinfectant, e.g. isopropyl alcohol
2. medicines to lower fever such as paracetamol
3. box with disposable rubber or latex gloves
4. masks
5. 70% alcohol based soap and hand sanitizer
6. handkerchiefs
7. household cleaning products, oven mitts and plastic bags for the garbage can
8. disinfectants and cleaning agents.

Face masks also at home

“Try to wear the mask at home unless you are having difficulty breathing or are somehow incapable of taking it off without assistance,” recommends the CDC.

“A healthy person can leave the sick person with food and drinks at the door and then thoroughly wash their hands,” explains Dr. Tanya Altmann. Before we go get the empty plates, let’s put on gloves. Wash the plates in hot soapy water, preferably in a dishwasher, and wash your hands again.

We should not use the same glasses, cups, forks or other cutlery and dishes. Likewise for towels and bed linen. When doing the laundry, do not shake the dirty clothes of the sick person in order to “minimize the possibility of the virus spreading in the air”. The CDC recommends that you wear disposable gloves when handling dirty linen and throw them away after each use. Reusable gloves should be designated for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and not used for other purposes. Immediately after taking off the gloves, wash your hands.

It is best to allocate one separate garbage can with a disposable foil bag for the patient. You must wear disposable gloves when removing bags, carrying them and throwing them away, and always wash your hands after handling or disposing of rubbish.

The editorial board recommends:

1. How to distinguish COVID-19 from influenza? This is a very distinctive sign
2. Why do young people without comorbidities die from COVID-19? [WE EXPLAIN]
3. Minor gene variants can affect the severity of COVID-19
4. The contagious doctor: official statistics do not reflect the scale of the epidemic

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