Shops closed, no-Contact orders, and mask mandatory in Public – all of which are measures to slow the spread of the Coronavirus, and thus the reproduction number decrease.
It describes how many more people infects a of Infected, on average.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the reproduction number between two and three, but were able to counter-measures, the value in the between time to under one lower, such as the Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI) reported.
The risk of infection is crucial for the further course of the pandemic and possible loosening of the counter – measures is, therefore, scientists examine the conditions under which the risk for infection with the novel Virus is particularly high.
This showed Particularly close contact in households or transport, the highest contagion risk.
Infection with the Coronavirus by close body contact,
Whether with friends or family members – during a meeting with a close contact usually takes place.
American scientists studied, therefore, families who were in contact with each other. A member wore the Coronavirus in itself, showed mild respiratory complaints.
At a funeral the infected Person to put all persons with whom you stayed more than two hours in a room or she hugged. After a short time the Affected first symptoms showed.
A few days later, the infected Person was with your family members over a period of several hours in a household and held a joint dinner.
Of the nine family members were infected seven people, two of whom died from the consequences of the Covid-19-disease.
Based on these results, the conclusion, the scientists concluded that closed areas, the duration and the intensity of the contact, increase the risk of infection greatly.
The highest risk of infection in the household
Living together, people are exposed to the greatest risk, with the Coronavirus to infect – this is the result of Chinese scientists, in another study, which examined the rate of infection in close contact.
All in all, scientists are persecuted, 2147 new cases of infection by focused on the prior, close contacts of the Infected focus.
They examined the conditions under which people with the disease, infected others. The overall infection rate was around 6 percent.
In the medical contact with infected people, the researchers were able to determine, however, no infection or risks, because in this area of the hygiene measures, are significantly more pronounced than in the conventional budget.
The risk of infection is located in a multi-person household, therefore, at about 13 percent, closely followed by transportation (12 percent).
The risk is particularly given in closed spaces where people can linger over a period of several hours. During a short conversation, the risk of infection is only at 7 percent.
Family members are especially at risk
Both parents and children are exposed to a common household to the risk of infection. However, the risk for an adult is significantly higher than for a child, such as Chinese scientists report.
For this purpose, they examined 105 patients who lived in spite of infection with your family. All subjects were examined by means of a Covid-19-Test and the domestic conditions analyzed in detail.
Overall, the researchers registered 392 household contacts.
After the possible incubation period, the studies showed that the risk of infection for adults is 17.1 percent.
Especially in the case of spouses or people who share a common bed, the scientist with a risk of infection by almost 28 percent. For children, however, a risk of 4 percent.
Domestic quarantine reduces the Corona-risk
It has to be quarantined in their own household so, if a Person is infected? The investigations of Chinese scientists show that a spatial separation in their own household can have a significant impact on the risk of infection.
In a household where the Infected had to go in quarantine, the risk of infection at around 16 percent. By a direct quarantine after the outbreak of the first symptoms, the researchers were able to register any contagions.
They recommend, therefore, a spatial quarantine in their own household to minimize the risk of infection.
Low risk of Infection if brief contact
However, despite the social Isolation it can happen in everyday life that runs on an infected Person, or communicated. However, a short contact does not necessarily lead to an infection.
According to the RKI, a relatively low risk of contagion in the case of a contact that lasts less than fifteen minutes.
Especially closed and poorly ventilated rooms can increase the risk, however. Therefore, the RKI recommends the use, for their own safety in Public with a mask.
Sources
- Ghinai, I. et al. (2020): “Community Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at Two Family Gatherings”, retrieved on 19.05.2020 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6915e1.htm
- Chen, Y. et al (2020): “The epidemiological characteristics of infection in close contacts of COVID-19 in Ningbo city”, retrieved on 19.05.2020 http://html.rhhz.net/zhlxbx/028.htm
- Wei, L. et al. (2020): “The characteristics of household transmission of COVID-19”, retrieved on 19.05.2020 https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciaa450/5821281
- Robert-Koch-Institute (2020): “answers to frequently asked questions about the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 / disease-COVID-19”, retrieved on 19.05.2020 https://www.rki.de/SharedDocs/FAQ/NCOV2019/gesamt.html
Important note: The information in this article contains only General information. For the diagnosis of a health problem we recommend visiting by trained and recognised Physicians.
Michelle Steinmetz
*The article “Coronavirus: Here the contagion is released the danger is at its greatest” from FitForFun. Contact with the executives here.