To gain a better understanding of household transmission of the coronavirus, the CDC looked at 101 households in Nashville, Tennessee and Marshfield, Wisconsin from April to September. In each of the households, there was one “index patient,” defined as the first member of a household to show COVID symptoms and test positive for the illness. The 101 index patients and 191 people who lived with them were trained to “complete symptom diaries and obtain self-collected specimens, nasal swabs only or nasal swabs and saliva samples, daily for 14 days,” the CDC says.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Read on to see how frequently the virus was passed inside the homes of infected patients, along with other key findings from the study. And for more on curbing the spread, check out This One Thing Is Better at Protecting You From COVID Than Your Mask. Read the original article on Best Life. Among all household members enrolled in the study, 102 submitted nasal swabs or saliva specimens that tested positive, for a secondary infection rate of 53 percent overall. The rate was similar for patients who were asked only to submit nasal swab specimens, the CDC found. And for the latest COVID news from Washington, D.C., check out The White House Just Warned of a COVID Surge in These 4 States. Prior to this study, the CDC said estimates about household transmission rates varied widely and that there was little data on the rate children transmitted the virus to other members of their household. As it turns out, age was an insignificant factor in how often infected patients passed the virus on to others they lived with. Index patients younger than 12 had an infection rate of 53 percent, while patients ages 18 to 49 years old and patients over age 50 infected others at a rate of 53 percent and 62 percent, respectively. And for clarity on why you may be feeling extra tired right now, This Is How to Tell If Your Fatigue Could Be COVID, Doctors Say. In addition to finding that virus transmission occurred frequently, the study also showed that it occurred early on. “Approximately 75 percent of secondary infections were identified within five days of he index patient’s illness onset,” the CDC said. This, too, was true for both children and adults. And for more up-to-date information delivered to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter. Based on the study’s findings, the CDC gave the following guidance: “Persons should self-isolate immediately at the onset of COVID-like symptoms, at the time of testing as a result of a high-risk exposure, or at time of a positive test result, whichever comes first. All household members, including the index case, should wear masks within shared spaces in the household.” And for more on where the virus is starting to cause restrictions, check out These 10 States Are Starting to Lock Down Again.
