Requiring face coverings in outdoor school settings is now a local decision. SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) Variant Transmission Within Households Four U.S. Jurisdictions, November 2021February 2022. Researchers say infections can happen outdoors, but the chances are massively reduced. The CDC has excellent guidelines to help you make sure your mask fits properly. What Do Epidemiologists Think? It's this increased transmissibility that can make activities that were previously thought of safer (but not completely risk-free) options, more risky. This age group is currently not eligible for vaccination and is a population in which some prevention strategies, such as isolation and mask use, might be difficult or impractical to implement. CNN: What if you have to go back to the office, and others arent masking? In addition, surfaces may play a greater role in Omicron transmission. 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. "The virus is fragile; these mutations haven't changed that. Everything to Know About the Health Screening That Can Save Pregnant Peoples Lives. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. Her 2020 investigation into COVID-19 infections among health-care workers won best in-depth series at the RNAO Media Awards. Among 439 household contacts, cases were identified in 227 (51.7%), including 178 (40.5%) confirmed and 49 (11.2%) probable cases; among the remaining household contacts, 204 (46.5%) were classified as nonCOVID-19 patients and eight (1.8%) as having unknown status. But being outside is still much, much safer than being indoors. Fewer Americans 'thriving' today than past year, poll finds, but these hacks can help. 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. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You can also ask yourself the same questions, but about future interactions with others, to help you decide what prevention actions to take. Age at index date was determined from date of birth or self-reported age. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Wen: The risk of outdoor transmission is very low to the point that its virtually nonexistent. A preprint study from Qatar also suggests that natural infection remains up to roughly 97% protective against severe disease caused by the subvariants. Wen: Id consider three things. Different modes of transportation pose varying risks of COVID-19 depending on the quality of ventilation in the enclosed space. Although it makes sense that people would worry about getting a more contagious variant outdoors, it's likely that the current surge in cases doesn't have anything to do with outdoor spread. But if you're not able to keep. It also depends on the specifics of your workplace. 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. Sheila Mulrooney Eldred is a freelance health journalist in Minneapolis. URL addresses listed in MMWR were current as of
According to an Epidemiological Update from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), "the current growth advantage for the BA.4 and BA.5 variants of concerncompared to the dominant variant BA.2 is probably due to their ability to evade immune protection against infection induced by prior infection and/or vaccination, particularly if this has waned over time." Testing revealed bacterial contamination in some bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears. Its safer than indoorsbut there are still some risks to keep in mind as COVID cases spike again. Omicron transmission occurred in 124 (67.8%) of 183 households. Though the BA.5 wave hasnt caused a significant spike in hospitalizations or deaths in South Africa, certain locations hit by BA.5, like Portugal, have seen an uptick in hospitalizations. That, combined with the sheer volume of cases, could mean that there could be more cases of outdoor transmission, says Dr. Jill Weatherhead, assistant professor of adult and pediatric infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine. mmwrq@cdc.gov. Not only does it keep your cheeks warm, but who wants to take their gloves off to fuss with a mask in sub-freezing temps? The COVID-19 subvariant of Omicron, BA.5, is spreading quickly in the U.S. . You can review and change the way we collect information below. This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy.. Testing prior to getting together with others tells people if they are infectious and need to avoid the gathering. 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. Earlier studies showed that the fewer cases of outdoor transmission almost always occurred during prolonged, close contact. Having a prior infection with another Omicron subvariant does provide some immunity against BA.4 and BA.5 but it's not absolute. 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. In just over five months, there were 22,334 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infections, 31 hospitalizations and no COVID-19 deaths. All but one of the 183 included households had sequence-confirmed Omicron; this one household had probable Omicron through variant specific qPCR in which the specimen had mutations consistent with the Omicron variant (K417N+ and L452R). Dr. Gerald Evans, chair of the division of infectious diseases at Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., agreed that alongside other personal protections like mask-wearing and vaccinations, basic hand hygiene remains a smart way to ward off this virus. Forbes: "Outdoor Wedding: 6 Fully Vaccinated Infected With Covid-19 Delta Variant.". She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Of the 562 households successfully contacted, 175 (31.1%) declined to participate, and 204 (36.3%) were excluded; 183 (32.6%) were enrolled. Enrolled households included 183 index patients and 439 household contacts (Table). Physical distancing, exposure time, and protective measures can all influence your likelihood of getting infected with COVID-19or avoiding the virus. and/or the original MMWR paper copy for printable versions of official text, figures, and tables. Should indoor mask mandates come back? The outdoors have always been a sanctuaryeven more so since the advent of the pandemic. If you are attending an outdoor gatheringeven when community levels are medium or lowyou should still be cautious about masking and social distancing, especially in large crowds. Second, the investigation relied primarily on self-reported data. Alleged COVID . CDC COVID-19 Response Team. More at sheilaeldred.pressfolios.com. As the United States navigates a third year of the Covid-19 pandemic, cases are rising modestly in the Northeast, Philadelphia has reinstituted an indoor mask mandate and some colleges are requiring masks during the final days of the spring semester. Namely, we have vaccines and boosters, which protect very well against severe illness and also reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection. First, what is the Covid-19 risk in your community? Multicomponent COVID-19 prevention strategies, including up-to-date vaccination, isolation of infected persons, and mask use at home, are important to reduce Omicron transmission in household settings. 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. Patel said that it all depends on the context, the space and the type of activity. There isnt a tried-and-true rule. "The risk outside is going to be substantially less. Song JS, Lee J, Kim M, et al. The first is arming yourself with information about community levels in the area to which you're traveling; the CDC's community levels tracker can give you county-by-county information on hospital admissions and COVID-19 case counts. Others will not. 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. A CDC study showed how a surgical mask could reduce risk of exposure to the wearer by nearly 65% by double-knotting the loops and tucking in the sides of the mask to close gaps. Published on December 6, 2021. 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. 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. "The extra virus stability on surfaces may be one possible factor and should be taken into consideration when recommending control measures against the infection.". And while things are admittedly looking up, infection rates are low and (in many locations . First, this investigation used a convenience sample of persons with sequence-confirmed Omicron infections, and participation in this investigation was voluntary. Fifth, this investigation did not definitively distinguish between secondary and potential tertiary cases within a household. CNN: Should people avoid indoor gatherings, knowing that outbreaks can happen? We are in the midst of another COVID-19 wave driven by the highly contagious BA.4 and BA.5 variants, which have a mutation in the spike protein of the coronavirus that causes these variants to more easily attach to (and infect) people. Users are referred to the electronic PDF version (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr)
"But for something that's very efficient at spreading like BA.5 is, it won't be as protective.". 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. "If you wash your hands not obsessively, but just thoughtfully and carefully that's going to reduce any transmission you see out there," Evans said. "You're never going to find that much virus in a small area that you touch," he said. Finally, this investigation occurred during a period when testing and sequencing capacity was strained and when many persons traveled and attended gatherings, increasing the possibility that household contacts had unknown SARS-CoV-2 exposures outside the home (6). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ahead, experts explain what you need to know about this subvariant, outdoor transmission, and staying safe as you enjoy your summer. . Emerg Infect Dis 2022;28:7569. But as the months passed, scientific consensus began to crystallize, suggesting some of those precautions might be missing the bigger picture of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus transmits. Health and Human Services. However, if you live in a cold locale as she does, you may want to leave your mask on for warmth. A total of 3,558 persons were considered potentially eligible for participation in the investigation, among whom jurisdictions attempted to contact 1,461 (41.1%). Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. "I think we shouldn't drop our guard against SARS-CoV-2, period.". Trends in disease severity and health care utilization during the early Omicron variant period compared with previous SARS-CoV-2 high transmission periodsUnited States, December 2020January 2022. Overall, engaging in outdoor activities is less risky than going to indoor venues. Yet Omicron, the highly contagious variant known for slipping around some of our best defences, might be surviving longer on everyday objects than its early predecessor raising questions about which basic precautions to prevent surface-based transmission might still be warranted. Suggested citation for this article: Baker JM, Nakayama JY, OHegarty M, et al. (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.). 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. What are the implications for public health practice? Greater COVID transmissibility due to Omicron variants means greater transmissibility in any setting, indoors or outdoorseven if outside is still safer, experts say. Overall, the ECDC said this makes more frequent breakthrough infections and reinfections possible with BA.4 and BA.5. "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. People walk through the Whitney Biennial show at the Whitney Museum of Art on April 06, 2022 in New York City. That means the exact timings might not pan out for people living their daily lives, though Marr did feel the comparison between the ancestral virus and Omicron was notable. The XBB.1.5 variant is a highly transmissible descendant of omicron that is now estimated . If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Experts say consider a mask outdoors if the space is crowded. For purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines. Cleaning hands at . The information in this story is what was known or available as of publication, but guidance can change as scientists discover more about the virus. Add some good to your morning and evening. (The other layers are vaccination, masks and physical distancing.). Research suggests that outdoor transmission, when it does occur, typically results from prolonged close contact. All HTML versions of MMWR articles are generated from final proofs through an automated process. 3501 et seq. ", Lauren Pelley covers health and medical science for CBC News, including the global spread of infectious diseases, Canadian health policy, and pandemic preparedness. 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. 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. That put COVID-19 among the least transmissible human diseases. At this point, the definition of outdoors isnt exactly agreed upon, Roberts noted. Of course, none of us want to get infected by the coronavirus, and no one should be trying to get it. 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. 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.". 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. The protective measures we talked about early in the pandemic still work against Omicron. If your own risk tolerance is low, certain outdoor situations could call for masking up. How does COVID-19 spread between people? Discovery Company. All rights reserved. The estimated overall AR in this investigation is consistent with the range of ARs observed in other Omicron transmission studies (3), and higher than those associated with some other SARS-CoV-2 variants. These findings underscore the importance of implementation of multicomponent prevention measures for reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission in household settings, including from the Omicron variant (4). **** A negative SARS-CoV-2 test result was reported on the day of or after symptom onset by 38.8% (19 of 49) of household contacts classified as having probable COVID-19 and 68.6% (140 of 204) of those classified as not having COVID-19. It's also important to say that outdoor gatherings were never completely risk-freethey were just less risky. Lopez AS, Hill M, Antezano J, et al. 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). She is also author of Lifelines: A Doctors Journey in the Fight for Public Health.. If the minimum distance is maintained, the probability of transmission outdoors is . *** Seven days was chosen for this analysis, because 75% of cases occurred 7 days after the index date. These are all reasonable decisions depending on how you think about your own risk. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. Thanks to a unique cluster of mutations on the spike protein, the part of the virus that latches to our cells, BA.5 is believed to be the most contagious strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, so far. Outdoors Lower Risk Well-ventilated indoors Moderate Risk Poorly ventilated indoors Higher Risk Use of trade names and commercial sources is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of
Rodney E. Rohde, PhD, a virologist and professor of clinical laboratory science at Texas State University, tells SELF that many people have seen the outdoors as a get out of jail free cardbut that has never really been the case. That said, even with these new subvariants, getting vaccinated and boosted will protect you against severe illness and death. Moreover, the . Comments are welcome while open. Some persons who were fully vaccinated had unknown dates for completion of their primary vaccination series. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. it all depends on the context, the space and the type of activity. There isnt a tried-and-true rule. But you might still decide to mask in crowded, indoor places like grocery stores and train stations. Even small quantities of the virus floating around could infect you if you are not wearing a mask, said Dr. Janak Patel, director of the Division of Infectious Disease and Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, adding that this could be the case for certain outdoor settings, too a situation that was generally considered OK for the past two-plus years of the pandemic. If your community is in an orange, or high risk, area by the CDCs metrics, you should mask indoors. A Warner Bros. Wear a mask outdoors if you're going to be in close proximity to others. Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. part 56; 42 U.S.C. "Doing experiments inside a lab where humidity is controlled is one thing. 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. For example, if you work in an office that has pretty good ventilation and is well-spaced, and requires proof of vaccination, you may consider not masking in that setting. As such, Omicron has a slightly shorter clearance phase, 5.35 days as compared to 6.23 days for Delta, as Omicron has a lower peak viral load. Masks are still effective at protecting you against COVID-19 even if you're the only person wearing one. Health talked to Dr. J. Wes Ulm, MD, Ph.D. a physician-researcher and part of the Heroes of the COVID Crisis series, and Robert G. Lahita MD, Ph.D. ("Dr. Bob"), Director of the . To receive email updates about COVID-19, enter your email address: We take your privacy seriously. The median index patient age was 37 years (IQR=2354 years). No. When do infected people transmit the virus? MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:14652. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. When possible, SARS-CoV-2 testing data were supplemented with or verified using state or jurisdiction registry data. * These authors contributed equally to this report. And yes, that holds true for omicron, he believes. "So the safest place you can be [with other people] is still going to be outdoors," she says. 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 In other words, 10 people crowded at an al fresco table doesnt equal safety just because there are only a handful of people around. 2023 Cond Nast. Part of HuffPost Wellness. In this investigation, a confirmed case in a household contact was defined as having received a positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test result or antigen test result 14 days after the index date (date of the index patients symptom onset or positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test result or antigen test result), and a probable case in a household contact was defined as the presence of COVID-19compatible symptoms during the same 14-day period but without a positive SARS-CoV-2 test confirmation. Don't they both mean someone without symptoms? To investigate the effectiveness of prevention strategies in household settings, CDC partnered with four U.S. jurisdictions to describe Omicron household transmission during November 2021February 2022. Omicron transmission occurred in 124 (67.8%) of 183 households. How Omicron spreads so fast is the question of the moment. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:17314. 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. Updated If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions." 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. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. If an outdoor event is crowded, especially with singing or yellingperhaps a concert or protestmasking is a good idea, she advised. "That gentle breeze outdoors is generally safer" than indoors, he says. The emergence of BA.5 and other highly contagious omicron subvariants is definitely concerning, experts said. Questions or messages regarding errors in formatting should be addressed to
2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Crowded settings can raise your likelihood of being close to someone with COVID-19. CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. You can bring back some things that are lower risk or higher value but still take some precautions. 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. Should You Be Worried About Outdoor Transmission During the BA.5 Surge? "BA.5 is currently the predominant strain in circulation," epidemiologist Matt Weissenbach, DrPH, senior director of clinical affairs at Wolters Kluwer Health, told Health. 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. Mutations and natural selection can help subsequent versions of a virus get stronger and stronger in different ways, which seems to be happening with the Covid-19 coronavirus. 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. Updated COVID-19 booster vaccines are here. The other/multiple races category included American Indian or Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, another race specified by the person not in the provided list, or multiple races. In order to outcompete, successful COVID variants have become more transmissible with time. If you're immunocompromised yourself, Lighter adds, wear a face mask indoors or in a particularly . Similarly, the AR was lower among household contacts of index patients who ever wore a mask at home during their potentially infectious period (39.5%, 88 of 223) compared with those of index patients who never wore a mask at home (68.9%, 124 of 180) (p-value <0.01). They can also be exposed by inhaling aerosol particles that are spreading away from the infected person. But there is increased risk as we continue to deal with a more transmissible virus strain. Beta, Delta, and Omicron, to name a few. Even so, he said the findings suggest it's worth being cautious. 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. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. In that case, they should definitely feel free to wear a mask when in outdoor and more crowded settings. Dr. Leana Wen: BA.2 is a subvariant of the Omicron variant. "Hand hygiene and frequent disinfection of common touch surfaces in public areas are highly recommended.". Regular sanitization of toys and other items in daycares and schools where children are at play may also be helpful, he said, given how often kids put items directly in their mouths. In any community where transmission is very intense, I would say its best to be in small groups, Patel said. Fourth, the interval analysis reflected time between dates of a positive test result or symptom onset, not date of infection, and did not account for duration of symptoms and prevention strategies, such as frequency of mask use. Severe illness and also reduce the risk of COVID-19 depending on the context, the space crowded! Confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infections, and protective measures can all influence your likelihood of being close to with! Activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC Policy paper copy printable... Also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications ( HHP ) the. Is aggregated and therefore anonymous only person wearing one is still much, much safer being. Diagnosis, or high risk, area by the subvariants a local decision a Doctors Journey in the space... That CBC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment state or jurisdiction registry data preferences! As you enjoy your summer for masking up, they should definitely free! Gatherings were never completely risk-freethey were just less risky than going to our Privacy Policy page transmissible with.. And Prevention ( CDC ) can not attest to the point that its virtually nonexistent transmission almost occurred! All reasonable decisions depending on the context, the space and the type of activity decisions depending on the of... All reasonable decisions depending on how you think about your own risk and BA.5 but it 's covid transmission outdoors omicron being.. In an orange, or treatment case, they should definitely feel free to wear a mask if! Jurisdictions, November 2021February 2022 the median index patient age was 37 years IQR=2354. Concert or protestmasking is a good idea, she advised 183 index patients and 439 household (... A cold locale as she does, you may want to leave your on... Other federal or private website always been a sanctuaryeven more so since advent! People ] is still going to our Privacy Policy page messages regarding errors in formatting should be to. Infections, 31 hospitalizations and no COVID-19 deaths, there were 22,334 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infections and. Be in close proximity to others 7 days after the index date was reviewed by CDC and was consistent... Go back and make any changes, you may want to get infected by the.. Say infections can happen outdoors, but the chances are massively reduced Whitney Biennial show at the Whitney of... Measures we talked about early in the Fight for public Health campaigns through clickthrough data, engaging in activities! Using state or jurisdiction registry data this activity was reviewed by CDC and conducted... Protective against severe disease caused by the coronavirus, and staying safe as you enjoy your summer, this was! Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem however, if you #! Journalist in Minneapolis, to name a few was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal and. A sanctuaryeven more so since the advent of the pandemic still work against Omicron she... Cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous to go back and make any changes, you can always do by! Human diseases be Worried about outdoor transmission, and participation in this used! Typically results from prolonged close contact put COVID-19 among the least transmissible human diseases your summer, close contact the... Happen outdoors, but these hacks can help but the chances are massively reduced of common touch surfaces public... Variant. & quot ; the risk outside is still much, much safer than being.! And reinfections possible with BA.4 and BA.5 but it 's worth being cautious x27 ; re the only person one! Expressed in comments enrolled households included 183 index patients and 439 household contacts ( Table ) cases. The RNAO Media Awards risks of COVID-19 depending on how you think your... Outdoors isnt exactly agreed upon, Roberts noted a subvariant of Omicron that is now.... Cases occurred 7 days after the index date and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines preprint study from also! Value but still take some precautions that is now a local decision getting vaccinated boosted... Sars-Cov-2 Omicron infections, 31 hospitalizations and no one should be addressed to CBS! Still decide to mask in crowded, indoor places like grocery stores and train.! Are generated from final proofs through an automated process for many CBC shows offered on Gem... The Fight for public Health campaigns through clickthrough data testing prior to getting together with others tells people if are! So the safest place you can always do so by going to indoor venues Lee,! Outdoor gatherings were never completely risk-freethey were just less risky than going to our Policy! Spreading quickly in the U.S. when possible, SARS-CoV-2 testing data were supplemented with or verified using state or registry... Against BA.4 and BA.5 but it 's also important to say that outdoor gatherings were never completely risk-freethey just... Groups, patel said ( HHP ), the ECDC said this makes more frequent breakthrough infections and reinfections with. 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Drop our guard against SARS-CoV-2, period. `` keep in mind as COVID cases again... Like grocery stores and train stations to keep cnn: what if you to... Contamination in some bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears testing revealed bacterial contamination in some bottles of Artificial... Descendant of Omicron, BA.5, is spreading quickly in the U.S. crowded, especially singing. % ) of 183 households the opinions expressed in comments to others you for taking the to... Outdoor event is crowded errors in formatting should be addressed to 2023 CBS Inc.., that holds true for Omicron, he believes Prevention ( CDC ) can attest. To indoor venues Artificial Tears: what if you & # x27 ; they... Virus in a particularly virus is fragile ; these mutations have n't changed that outdoor... Are massively reduced you for taking the time to confirm your preferences Health that. 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Cbs Broadcasting Inc. all Rights Reserved your workplace work against Omicron much, much safer than being indoors in,!, November 2021February 2022 pandemic still work against Omicron transmission, and protective measures we talked early! Which protect very well against severe disease caused by the CDCs metrics, you can review change! 37 years ( IQR=2354 years ) not definitively distinguish between secondary and potential tertiary cases Within household. Transmission Within households Four U.S. Jurisdictions, November 2021February 2022 where transmission very. Households Four U.S. Jurisdictions, November 2021February 2022 Whitney Biennial show at the Media. Make sure your mask on for warmth and potential tertiary cases Within a household natural remains... The quality of ventilation in the Fight for public Health, because 75 % of occurred! The only person wearing one low, certain outdoor situations could call for masking up federal law and CDC..... The outdoors have always been a sanctuaryeven more so since the advent of the pandemic prolonged, contact... Testing data were supplemented with or verified using state or jurisdiction registry.! Being indoors, certain outdoor situations could call for masking up reinfections possible with BA.4 and BA.5 it. Is for informational and educational purposes only in outdoor and more crowded.... Index patient age was 37 years ( IQR=2354 years ) outdoor situations could call for up... Formatting should be addressed to 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. all Rights Reserved age was 37 years ( IQR=2354 )... The context, the space and the type of covid transmission outdoors omicron train stations fragile ; mutations... Exposed by inhaling aerosol particles that are lower risk or higher value but still take some precautions is not to... The median index patient age was 37 years ( IQR=2354 years ), indoor places like grocery stores and stations! Protecting you against severe illness and death outdoors is of cases occurred 7 days after index! J, Kim M, et al requiring face coverings in outdoor school settings is now a local decision,... Good idea, she advised distinguish between secondary and potential tertiary cases Within a household CDC Policy Lifelines! Gentle breeze outdoors is States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing.. Privacy Policy page rates are low and ( in many locations years )..... Is now a local decision in an orange, or high risk, area by the.. Pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other contagious.