In just over five months, there were 22,334 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infections, 31 hospitalizations and no COVID-19 deaths. The B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant, first detected in November 2021, was responsible for a surge in U.S. infections with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, during December 2021January 2022 (1). The questions below are written in past tense to help you assess the likelihood that you were infected when you were around a person with COVID-19. That, combined with the sheer volume of cases, could mean that there could be more cases of outdoor transmission, says Dr. Jill. Someone who coughed onto their hand and then touched a door could seed virus there and transmit it to you if you touch that door and then your nose or mouth. We conducted a test-negative case-control study and recruited the test-positive cases and test-negative controls in the outbreak caused by . See an archive of our FAQs here. Vaccinated residents with breakthrough infections were significantly less likely to transmit them: 28% versus 36% for those who were unvaccinated. The symptoms arent always as similar as you might think. In December 2021, during the Omicron wave, he backflipped on his "personal responsibility" approach to mask-wearing by reintroducing a mandate requiring them to be worn indoors while also . Third, how important is it to you to continue to avoid Covid-19? SELF may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. On smooth surfaces, Omicron lasted more than a week, while infectious amounts of the original virus were recovered up to just four days on polypropylene plastic and stainless and up to seven days on glass. BA.5's mutations have also allowed it to sneak past the body's immune system more easily. 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. 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). The small sample size, especially for certain stratum-specific ARs, may limit overall generalizability of the results. And yes, that holds true for omicron, he believes. Persons who reported any signs or symptoms during the course of their recent illness were considered to have COVID-19compatible symptoms. But BA.5s heightened transmissibility will ultimately lead to more indoor and outdoor spread. If your community is in an orange, or high risk, area by the CDCs metrics, you should mask indoors. Once you head inside, especially in packed areas with low air turnover, there tends to be high transmission of the virus, so plan accordingly. COVID-19 cases have been declining across the country. And people who are vaccinated likely carry less infectious virus particles than people who are not. Others will not. 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). 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. Discover new workout ideas, healthy-eating recipes, makeup looks, skin-care advice, the best beauty products and tips, trends, and more from SELF. Other members of the scientific and medical community also had mixed views on what this new study actually tells us about how Omicron spreads. But there is increased risk as we continue to deal with a more transmissible virus strain. A computer modeling study conducted in 2021 found that certain conditionslike wind speed and direction and cool, moist ground temperaturesplay an important role in airborne transmission. cases are rising modestly in the Northeast, Philadelphia has reinstituted an indoor mask mandate, BA.2 is a subvariant of the Omicron variant. 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 Is the C.1.2 Variant in COVID-19 Cases? This study aims to explore the relationship between the doses of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines received and SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection in the real-world setting, so as to preliminarily evaluate the protective effect induced by COVID-19 vaccination. If you're immunocompromised yourself, Lighter adds, wear a face mask indoors or in a particularly . (Of course, football games have been postponed this season because of COVID outbreaks, but the study's authors believe that players were more likely spreading it in locker rooms and other shared indoor spaces.). The second thing to think about is, what is your medical situation and the circumstances of others in your household? Thus, whether someone was tested and how many times they were tested depended on individual and social factors. The Omicron variant of the coronavirus appears to have spread between two fully vaccinated people who were staying in separate rooms across the hall from each other in a Hong Kong quarantine. Masks, vaccination, social distancing, testing and hand washing all play a role, too. Even so, he said the findings suggest it's worth being cautious. After three years, most people know how to do that: vaccines, masks, physical distancing, handwashing and lets not forget ventilation. July 11, 2022 / 5:37 PM And it has been able to spread fast. Having COVID more than once can increase your risk of hospitalization and long COVID. The virus can also be carried on microscopic aerosols that are expelled by breathing. 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. If you are high-risk or have close contact with someone who is high risk, wear a mask indoors, even if you're just running inside to use the restroom or grab something quickly from a store. Interviewers encouraged household contacts who had not received testing to receive testing if the telephone interview occurred 14 days after the index date and instructed them to call back with test results. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, several coronavirus variants have emerged as the virus, SARS-CoV-2, continues to mutate and evolve. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Interferon lambda, an injectable drug in development, is already being compared to Paxlovid. Sect. Cleaning hands at . Outdoors Lower Risk Well-ventilated indoors Moderate Risk Poorly ventilated indoors Higher Risk 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. A preprint study from Qatar also suggests that natural infection remains up to roughly 97% protective against severe disease caused by the subvariants. If an outdoor event is crowded, especially with singing or yellingperhaps a concert or protestmasking is a good idea, she advised. Why Arent More People Getting It? September 7, 2022. Research before the emergence of the delta variant indicated that the risk of getting infected with the coronavirus was up to 20 times lower outside compared to inside and the chance of. Researchers have said that while Covid infections can happen outdoors, the chances are massively reduced. That put COVID-19 among the least transmissible human diseases. Upgrading one's mask is especially important in the face of omicron. "If you are young and healthy or fully immunized, BA.5 may still make you feel pretty rotten for a while and some people can get very sick from it, so know your risks.". The AR was lower among household contacts of index patients who isolated (41.2%, 99 of 240) compared with those of index patients who did not isolate (67.5%, 112 of 166) (p-value <0.01). Still, he says, you have to be close to the infected person or downwind of them. CNN: What about outdoors? All rights reserved. ARs were high across all household contact vaccination categories but lowest among those who received a booster dose (47.8%, 54 of 113) or were fully vaccinated <5 months before the index date (50.0%, 14 of 28). First, this investigation used a convenience sample of persons with sequence-confirmed Omicron infections, and participation in this investigation was voluntary. 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). For others, a restaurant with an open wall is outdoors. As statistics show, the highest rate of COVID-19 transmission occurs in indoor settings. Yes, you can catch BA.5 outside, but its more likely that youll catch it indoors than outdoors. And while things are admittedly looking up, infection rates are low and (in many locations . Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much "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. Fewer Americans 'thriving' today than past year, poll finds, but these hacks can help. Although outdoor settings are overall the safer option, when a virus is more contagious, it's more contagious in any setting. Multicomponent COVID-19 prevention strategies, including up-to-date vaccination, isolation of infected persons, and mask use at home, are critical to reducing Omicron transmission in household settings. But as we head into offices, schools and public spaces, there are some things we can control like masking and others that are not in our control, such as whether our offices have improved ventilation. CNN is only US outlet living through Shanghai lockdown. Persons with sequence-confirmed Omicron infection and their household contacts were interviewed. Events, dining, and even entire classrooms were moved outside, when feasible. The outdoors have always been a sanctuaryeven more so since the advent of the pandemic. Health and Human Services. "Certainly I don't want to see people going back to wiping their groceries down with disinfectants and leaving things sitting for days on end in the hope that what virus might be there isn't going to infect them. Given how quickly information about omicron is changing, we decided to reach out to Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, a professor at the UCSF School of Medicine, to . All HTML versions of MMWR articles are generated from final proofs through an automated process. Being outside would be lower exposure risk than being indoors, even with good ventilation and filtration; both of those options would be lower risk than being indoors with poor ventilation or filtration. "Being outdoors continues to provide another layer of protection because of the ventilation," Weatherhead explains. Lane . For those hosting events, Majumder recommended decreasing the amount of attendees at gatherings, a move that can drastically reduce transmission. In addition, surfaces may play a greater role in Omicron transmission. 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. Roberts added that since BA.5 is more transmissible than prior variants indoors, it is likely that its more transmissible outdoors, too. Fifth, this investigation did not definitively distinguish between secondary and potential tertiary cases within a household. **** Case status of household contacts was unknown if the occurrence of COVID-19compatible symptoms was not known and if the contacts testing results were unknown. "This might affect the balance of transmission routes favouring more fomite transmission than we saw before," she said. And should we skip large indoor events again? Persons without symptoms and who did not have a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result were not considered to have a case of COVID-19. The main way people get infected, most leading public health officials and scientists now agree, isthrough exposure to this virus through the air, not through contaminated surfaces known scientifically as "fomites.". Users are referred to the electronic PDF version (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr) You could decide to remove your mask when sitting at your desk, but put it on again to go into a crowded elevator or a conference room where youre sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with other people. All Rights Reserved. CNN: Should people avoid indoor gatherings, knowing that outbreaks can happen? The new year arrived with an omicron-fueled surge in COVID cases in Alameda County, causing widespread concern and resulting in a number of event cancellations and temporary business closures that recall the pandemic's earlier days.. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. Serial intervals and household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, South Korea, 2021. 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. Yes, you can get BA.5 outdoors, but you could also contract other COVID variants outside, says Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New. In other words, 10 people crowded at an al fresco table doesnt equal safety just because there are only a handful of people around. Thats different if you are immunocompromised or live with someone who is elderly with multiple medical conditions. It's this increased transmissibility that can make activities that were previously thought of safer (but not completely risk-free) options, more risky. 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. MMWR and Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report are service marks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. And Eric Topol, MD . When Should You Test (and Possibly Retest) After Being Exposed to COVID-19? It's been almost two years since the world has completely changed thanks to COVID, and while we understand the virus more, people are still catching COVID and cases are spiking in certain areas. Beta, Delta, and Omicron, to name a few. Despite Omicron's rapid spread, the good news is that COVID-19 strategies like vaccination, masking, and social distancing could slow its transmission. The volume of droplets used in the lab research five microlitres might sound small, but it's "actually huge compared to droplets we usually spew out," she said. More information is available, Travel requirements to enter the United States are changing, starting November 8, 2021. 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. According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BA.5 accounts for 65% of all COVID-19 cases in the U.S.; in just two months, the subvariant managed to outcompete BA.2 and BA.2.12.1the two previously dominant subvariants. Saving Lives, Protecting People, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.27.21268278v1, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.01.09.22268984v1, https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.16.21262121v2, https://www.ustravel.org/research/monthly-travel-data-report, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. With the COVID-19 omicron variant causing another surge in cases, K-12 schools across the United States are faced with the choice of whether to stay with in-person instruction. So some people may want to mask up in certain outdoor situations. For this investigation, a confirmed case in a household contact was defined as a positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test result or antigen test result (through local or home testing)** 14 days after the index date. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. They can also be exposed by inhaling aerosol particles that are spreading away from the infected person. You'll also want to consider your own personal risk for COVID-19, that of those close to you, and your combined risk tolerance for public situations. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. Linsey Marr, a researcher on the airborne transmission of viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and a professor at Virginia Tech, agreed that the results show Omicron seems to survive better, which could be contributing to its heightened transmissibility. If the minimum distance is maintained, the probability of transmission outdoors is . 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Ensuring you are able to distance even in an outdoor setting can only help reduce the risk of spread, Roberts stated. Hand washing all play a role, too than once can increase your of! So some people may want to mask up in certain outdoor situations sequence-confirmed Omicron infections, and participation in investigation. Weekly Report are service marks of the pandemic especially important in the Northeast, Philadelphia has reinstituted an mask. Other federal or private website has been able to spread fast the small size! 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