But there are some people who want to avoid it at all costs and others who accept that if they engage in travel, resume parties, dine in restaurants and engage in other pre-pandemic activities, they will have some level of risk. and/or the original MMWR paper copy for printable versions of official text, figures, and tables. Is BA.2 so contagious that it could transmit there? P-values comparing differences in stratum-specific ARs were calculated using a generalized estimating equation approach to account for clustering by household (2). They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. Omicron started off as three subvariants (that is, a group of viruses from the same parent virus) all appearing in late November 2021 in South Africa: BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3. "The risk of transmission is much lower . FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Not Washing Hands Frequently. Are there settings where people should consider masking outdoors? In fact, it "could likely be more risky than an indoor setting under different circumstances with proper social distancing and other preventive measures," he added. In just over five months, there were 22,334 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infections, 31 hospitalizations and no COVID-19 deaths. No other potential conflicts of interest were disclosed. Part of HuffPost Wellness. Heres what experts know and dont know about COVID spread outdoors: At this point, we are very familiar with uncertainty when it comes to COVID. Of course, omicron is the most transmissible variant yet. Its no surprise, then, that more and more stories have emerged of people speculating that they caught COVID-19 outside, which can be a bit unsettling to hear as cases continue to rise in many parts of the country. Experts are still learning about COVID-19. Without sequencing results for all household contact cases, it was not possible to confirm that transmission occurred from index patients to household contacts or that household contacts were infected with the same variant. For example, talking face-to-face with someone who is unmasked and very, very close to you is risky no matter where you are, especially if it's for a prolonged period of time. "If you are young and healthy, then the risk from COVID remains very low, just like before, but that may not be the case for older and chronically ill people," said Dr. Blaivas. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice| Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information| Ad Choices It's also not clear exactly how much virus is needed for a productive SARS-CoV-2 infection, Banerjay said, with more research needed. For me, my area, in Baltimore City, is in a green or low-risk area for Covid-19 transmission, according to the CDC. And while it is known that BA.4 and BA.5 are more transmissible than other variants, it is not yet clear if they are spreading outdoors any more than other variants. This conversion might result in character translation or format errors in the HTML version. With previous coronavirus variants, like alpha and delta, being outdoors provided good protection against infection, but with the newest Omicron subvariants, being at an outdoor event could be somewhat risky. "It appears that outdoor transmission has become more likely with the newer variants over the past year (i.e., since delta) as they have become more transmissible, but outdoors remains a much. Published on December 6, 2021. Household contacts were defined as any persons who spent one or more overnights in the residence with the index patient during their potentially infectious period. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Thus, the latest dominant COVID subvariants have a reproductive rate of around 18.6, tying or surpassing measles, the worlds most infectious viral disease, according to Esterman. "Most people that get it outdoors are still getting into groups with friends, neighbors and family when outdoors and that is a good way to spread infection when it is present," he said. Were hearing anecdotal reports of people testing positive who think they got it outdoors, said Dr. Scott Roberts, associate medical director of Infection Prevention at Yale New Haven Hospital. Why it may be harder to catch COVID-19 from surfaces than we first thought, Acknowledge COVID-19 is airborne, Lancet report urges as more evidence mounts, Omicron subvariant BA.2 raises new questions about puzzling evolution of virus behind COVID-19, Why an Omicron infection alone might not offer the immune boost you'd expect. Having COVID more than once can increase your risk of hospitalization and long COVID. If it was unclear who within the household was the index patient (e.g., if multiple persons developed COVID-19compatible symptoms in the household on the same day or had the same SARS-CoV-2 exposure) or if household contacts had confirmed or probable cases and were known to have a SARS-CoV-2 exposure to someone other than the index patient, the household was excluded from analyses. Third, COVID-19 prevention measures (vaccination, isolation, and mask use) are likely highly correlated within households, and the identified risk factors might not be independent predictors of transmission. If an outdoor event is crowded, especially with singing or yellingperhaps a concert or protestmasking is a good idea, she advised. All variants and subvariants have changes in their genetic code, compared to the original virus they came from. Subanalyses focusing on secondary household transmission demonstrated a similar interval (median=3 days, IQR=25) (Supplementary Figure 1, https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/114723) and similar patterns in ARs (Supplementary Figure 2, https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/114722). . Transmission occurred within 67.8% (124 of 183) of households, and the overall AR among household contacts with known status was 52.7% (227 of 431) (Figure 2). ** Analysis for attack rates by combined vaccination status combined persons who were fully vaccinated or had received a booster dose into one category (full/booster) and persons who were partially vaccinated or unvaccinated into another category (partial/unvacc). It's unlikely that Omicron is selectively targeting children, but because the variant is so. Persons with sequence-confirmed Omicron variant infections during November 2021February 2022 were identified from four U.S. jurisdictions (Chicago, Illinois; Connecticut; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Utah) and contacted by telephone to assess eligibility of the household to participate in the investigation. A household was eligible if the index patient did not live in a congregate setting and did live with at least one other person for most of their potentially infectious period, defined as 2 days before through 10 days after the index date (the date of the index patients positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test result or antigen test result or symptom onset, whichever occurred first). Iuliano AD, Brunkard JM, Boehmer TK, et al. Omicron may hang around longer on surfaces than original virus, early findings suggest | CBC News Loaded. Events, dining, and even entire classrooms were moved outside, when feasible. "The virus is fragile; these mutations haven't changed that. It's nice to see people's expressions and feel a sense of normalcy.". Researchers have said that while Covid infections can happen outdoors, the chances are massively reduced. Depending on the outdoor situation youre in, it changes the ventilation dynamics of that area and can alter the risk of COVID for people in that [space], Roberts said, adding that hed feel pretty comfortable in a socially distant, outdoor setting with nothing covering the space (like tents, tarps, overhangs, and enclosures) even with the BA.5 variant. Lane . For those hosting events, Majumder recommended decreasing the amount of attendees at gatherings, a move that can drastically reduce transmission. Transmission can occur within a household setting on the first day an index patient is infected or on any subsequent day during which they are still shedding viable virus. With the global evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), for almost 2 years, various control strategies have been utilized around the world. Will BA.2 Cause Another COVID Wave in the U.S.? An index patient with a probable COVID-19 case was the first person with onset of any symptom consistent with COVID-19, but without a positive SARS-CoV-2 test confirmation, reported in a household. Paxlovid Is Super Promising. "Being outdoors in the outside air absolutely protects us from less transmissible viruses," Sharon Nachman, MD, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, told Health. CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. A probable case in a household contact was defined as the presence of COVID-19compatible symptoms in a household contact during the same 14-day period, but without confirmation by a SARS-CoV-2 test. Vaccination status was based primarily on self-report; participants were categorized as having received a booster dose, fully vaccinated (<5 or 5 months before the index date), partially vaccinated, or unvaccinated., The interval between the index date and onset of symptoms or positive test result in a household contact was calculated. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2020;69:131923. Contact her at: lauren.pelley@cbc.ca. The outdoors have always been a sanctuaryeven more so since the advent of the pandemic. However, some of these children may have been hospitalized with Covid but not for Covid. Persons with sequence-confirmed Omicron infection and their household contacts were interviewed. In any community where transmission is very intense, I would say its best to be in small groups, Patel said. check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other members of the scientific and medical community also had mixed views on what this new study actually tells us about how Omicron spreads. 2. Households with high transmission or with more attention to public health measures may have been more likely to participate. The CDC doesn't currently recommend wearing a mask outdoors. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. Dr. Mallika Marshall explains: Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are highly transmissible, some say as transmissible as measles, which is considered the most infectious viral illness in humans. Preliminary research, including a small study by Milton's lab, suggests that people infected with omicron don't breathe out higher viral loads than people infected with delta. This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.. And, while outdoor gatherings are still considered safer, there are some cases in. May 6, 2022. She has written about COVID-19 for many publications, including The New York Times, Kaiser Health News, Medscape and The Washington Post. For both index patients and household contacts, the onset date was either the date of SARS-CoV-2 positive test result or date of symptom onset, whichever occurred first. The findings from this investigation reinforce the importance of multi-component prevention strategies, including up-to-date vaccination, isolation of infected persons, and mask use at home, to reduce Omicron transmission in household settings. Experts Are Excited About a New COVID TreatmentHeres What to Know About It. But the same factors that make indoor settings riskycrowded spaces, poor air circulation, the sharing of food and drinkcan also increase your chances of contracting COVID outside. More information is available, Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People, https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003987, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), International Travel to and from the United States, Requirement for Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers, Requirement for Proof of Negative COVID-19 Test or Documentation of Recovery from COVID-19 for Air Passengers Traveling to the United States from China, Hong Kong, or Macau, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Outdoor activities are inherently safer than indoor gatherings, Dr. Marr says. Since COVID-19 is transmitted through contact with respiratory fluids carrying the infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus, a person can be exposed by an infected person coughing or speaking near them. So if you find yourself worrying about not being able to distance yourself in a crowded outdoor situation with people of unknown vaccination status, slip a mask on. That's a key finding from a new pre-print paper from researchers at the University of Hong Kong's school of public health, which is published online but has not yet been peer-reviewed. Omicron contains troubling characteristics that might make it more transmissible particularly among people who have already gotten and recovered from Covid, according to the WHO. SELF may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. Nevertheless, in its coronavirus profile, the RKI also posits that "overall, transmissions outdoors rarely occur. Partially vaccinated was defined as having only 1 dose of a 2-dose series or completing the primary vaccination series <2 weeks before the index date. More outdoor air can decrease the risk of transmission. It is a lot more contagious, so you could be in an outdoor setting and if you are close to someone who isn t wearing a mask and you re not wearing a mask, you . What exactly does a small group mean? How does COVID-19 spread between people? These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Based on the data from the Gauteng province alone, the Omicron variant transmissibility compared to SARS-CoV-2 ancestral and Delta variant were 100.3% and 36.5%, respectively. Ive talked before about how the new guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be used here. The study authors themselves did note the limitations at play, including the controlled, lab-based setting and differences in the droplets used in the research compared to respiratory droplets, which may all impact the stability of the virus. In other words, 10 people crowded at an al fresco table doesnt equal safety just because there are only a handful of people around. The omicron variant of COVID-19 and its 36 spike protein mutations has upended much of what scientists know about the coronavirus. Subanalyses were conducted to examine potential secondary transmission (as opposed to all household transmission); the interval was calculated for households of two persons (index patient and another household contact), and ARs were calculated after restricting the case definition to cases identified 7 days*** after the index date. Peter Kneffel Index dates occurred during November 21, 2021February 3, 2022. Among index patients, 172 (94.0%) had a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result (confirmed COVID-19) and 11 (6.0%) had COVID-19compatible symptoms but without SARS-CoV-2 test confirmation (probable COVID-19). Many of these variants' mutations have little or no impact on how the virus affects humans. "You're never going to find that much virus in a small area that you touch," he said. All Rights Reserved. . Interferon lambda, an injectable drug in development, is already being compared to Paxlovid. ", Lauren Pelley covers health and medical science for CBC News, including the global spread of infectious diseases, Canadian health policy, and pandemic preparedness. CDC twenty four seven. How to Have a Sick Day When You Cant Actually Call Off Work. That being said, not all outdoor spaces are created equal. These findings are subject to at least six limitations. Updated Masks are still effective at protecting you against COVID-19 even if you're the only person wearing one. Saving Lives, Protecting People, Given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, CDC has updated the, The White House announced that vaccines will be required for international travelers coming into the United States, with an effective date of November 8, 2021. The median interval between index patient onset date and household contact onset date was 4 days (IQR=27 days) (Figure 1). Experts said people might consider wearing masks in crowded outdoors spaces to prevent infection. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Statistical significance was defined as p<0.05. And at this stage of the pandemic, we have to find ways to do things that are meaningful to us. And yes, that holds true for omicron, he believes. If a community level is high, you may want to reschedule your trip or be extra cautious. Index patients and household contacts participated in voluntary telephone interviews to retrospectively collect information on demographic characteristics, SARS-CoV-2 testing, symptoms, COVID-19 vaccination history, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, index patient isolation practices (defined as always or sometimes isolating in a room by oneself at any point during their potentially infectious period), and index patient mask use practices (defined as ever wearing a mask at home during their potentially infectious period). 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