Thats a personal decision that will differ from person to person. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, it felt like thevirus was everywhere and on everything. She is also author of Lifelines: A Doctors Journey in the Fight for Public Health.. Among the 204 excluded households, 143 did not meet eligibility criteria, 47 were excluded because the index patient could not be identified, 11 were excluded because household contacts had confirmed or probable cases and were known to have a SARS-CoV-2 exposure other than exposure to the index patient, and three were excluded when sequencing results (pending at the time of interview) indicated a variant that was not Omicron. The risk of outdoor transmission is exponentially lower than indoor transmission, and a well-ventilated, less crowded space also has much lower risk than people packed together in an unventilated space. The key is really just ensuring that theres adequate distancing, particularly if youre in a situation where someone sneezes or coughs within a few feet of you, Roberts emphasized. The New York Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), which oversees subways and buses and lost billions of dollars in passenger revenue in 2020, spent $484 million last year in its response to. 3501 et seq. You can review and change the way we collect information below. For some people, a tented wedding is outdoors. it all depends on the context, the space and the type of activity. There isnt a tried-and-true rule. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images), A young woman and man stand next to each other. Upgrading one's mask is especially important in the face of omicron. S&P Index data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. So far, however, BA.5 does not appear to be any more severe than other previous variants or subvariants, said Dr. Blaivas. This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.. Coronavirus FAQ: Why are some folks hacking home COVID tests by swabbing their throat. 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. Updated ** Persons provided retrospective information about any SARS-CoV-2 testing that they chose and were able to perform. Your Next COVID Vaccination Could Be a Nasal Spray: Here's Why, What You Should Know About BA.2, a SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant. By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Generally speaking, the same factors that influence your risk of infection indoors, also apply to outdoor settings. Getty The new BA.5 subvariant is spreading across the US and there's evidence it can evade the body's immune response. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7109e1. "The extra virus stability on surfaces may be one possible factor and should be taken into consideration when recommending control measures against the infection.". 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). Upping the ante is the fact that recent subvariants like BA.4 and BA.5 are the most immune-evasive yet, with the ability to dodge antibodies from both vaccines and prior infection. Other members of the scientific and medical community also had mixed views on what this new study actually tells us about how Omicron spreads. 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. Should you get your second booster shot now? "This might affect the balance of transmission routes favouring more fomite transmission than we saw before," she said. In that case, they should definitely feel free to wear a mask when in outdoor and more crowded settings. 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. Updated COVID-19 booster vaccines are here. When asked about the new Hong Kong results, he said any findings based on the "same old techniques" in a laboratory don't change that, since figuring out transmission is about more than just how viruses survive within controlled settings. BA.5's increased transmission and our diminished immune defenses mean that COVID-19 transmission outdoors has become more likely. You should wear a mask if its impossible to create distance (ideally a well-fitted one, like a KN95) and take a COVID test before you go out, Patel said. * Persons self-reported their race (White, Black, Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander), ethnicity (Hispanic/Latino or non-Hispanic/Latino), and gender (male or female) from lists of options and had the opportunity to state another option if their race, ethnicity, or gender was not listed. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. How should people weigh which precautions they want to follow? Its all about how close you are to that person coupled with airflow [turnover] and ventilation of the space you are in, whether that is indoors or outdoors, Dr. Rohde says. The following conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity. ARs were consistently high across household contact and index patient age groups, including those aged 04 years. "The risk outside is going to be substantially less. "The risk of transmission is much lower . "You're never going to find that much virus in a small area that you touch," he said. 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. And Eric Topol, MD . Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. Some persons who were fully vaccinated had unknown dates for completion of their primary vaccination series. Wen: Not necessarily. For the most cautious, a park or a hiking trail is the only truly outdoor space. The small sample size, especially for certain stratum-specific ARs, may limit overall generalizability of the results. "BA.5 is currently the predominant strain in circulation," epidemiologist Matt Weissenbach, DrPH, senior director of clinical affairs at Wolters Kluwer Health, told Health. Biometrics 1988;44:104960. And the omicron variant acquires a more effective coating than the delta variant, meaning it could stay infectious outside the body for longer. The CDC doesn't currently recommend wearing a mask outdoors. CDC COVID-19 Response Team. "If you're standing outside, shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of unmasked strangers [for an extended period of time], it certainly has the potential to mimic a cramped, indoor setting," said Dr. Weissenbach. 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). All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. People in the US wont face a shutdown like the one currently in place in Shanghai, where no one is allowed to leave their residential compounds, Covid testing is mandatory and food supplies are running low. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Transmission dynamics of COVID-19 outbreaks associated with child care facilitiesSalt Lake City, Utah, AprilJuly 2020. Persons who only had signs or symptoms (and no positive SARS-CoV-2 test result) were considered to have a probable case. Slightly less transmissible were the 1918 pandemic strain of flu, which had an estimated R0 of 2, as does Ebola. More outdoor air can decrease the risk of transmission. Five studies described influenza transmission outdoors and 2 adenovirus transmission outdoors. "Hand hygiene and frequent disinfection of common touch surfaces in public areas are highly recommended.". CDC is not responsible for the content The more crowded an outdoors space is, the more it begins to mimic an indoor space in terms of our exposure to shared air.. Vaccinated residents with breakthrough infections were significantly less likely to transmit them: 28% versus 36% for those who were unvaccinated. Emerg Infect Dis 2022;28:7569. The omicron sub-lineages are so new that infectious disease experts are still measuring their potential impact, even in outdoor settings. Again, Id urge that if you are wearing a mask, wear an N95 or equivalent mask, because it will be your best chance of protecting against the very contagious BA.2 variant. If an outdoor event is crowded, especially with singing or yellingperhaps a concert or protestmasking is a good idea, she advised. Jurisdictions identified persons who were considered potentially eligible for participation through obtaining laboratory line lists of persons who had sequence-confirmed Omicron (B.1.1.529 lineage and its sublineages) or whose sequencing results were pending. Being outside, Wallace points out, only helps improve one of the variables for Covid risk: ventilation. The median interval between index patient onset date and household contact onset date was 4 days (IQR=27 days) (Figure 1). Contact her at: lauren.pelley@cbc.ca. In a study of household transmission in four U.S. jurisdictions, Omicron infection resulted in high transmission among household contacts, particularly among those who lived with index patients who were not vaccinated or who did not take measures to reduce the risk of transmission to household contacts. In other words, 10 people crowded at an al fresco table doesnt equal safety just because there are only a handful of people around. And in a study of 64 college football games during the 2020 season involving 1,190 athletes, researchers at Texas A&M University found zero spread of COVID during game play based on three postgame PCR tests over the course of a week likely because of the outdoor setting and short duration of close contact, experts say. It's still going to die very quickly in the environment.". While most of the western countries gradually lifted the border control and quarantine measures, elimination strategy aiming at "zero COVID-19" remains in . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Heres What You Should Know About BA.5 Symptoms and Severity, A Devastating Number of Americans Will Experience Long COVID. For others, a restaurant with an open wall is outdoors. Early contact tracing studies detected far more indoor transmission of the coronavirus than outdoor. A probable case in a household contact was the presence of any symptom consistent with COVID-19 during the same 14-day period but without a positive SARS-CoV-2 test confirmation. We reserve the right to close comments at any time. Most. First published on July 11, 2022 / 5:37 PM. She cautions that outdoor tents that dont have flaps that let air in are not that different from being indoors, as far as COVID transmission risk goes. Yes, you can catch BA.5 outside, but its more likely that youll catch it indoors than outdoors. "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. Fifth, this investigation did not definitively distinguish between secondary and potential tertiary cases within a household. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. Two jurisdictions attempted to contact all households on their line lists, and two jurisdictions attempted to contact households on their line lists based on specimen collection date. 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. Points out, only helps improve one of the scientific and medical community also had mixed views what! Between index patient onset date and household contact onset date was 4 days ( IQR=27 days ) ( 1! Published on July 11, 2022 / 5:37 PM we reserve the right to close comments at any time,... Contact onset date was 4 days ( IQR=27 days ) ( Figure 1 ) days of coronavirus! Outdoor air can decrease the risk outside is going to die very quickly in the early days of the for. 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