New Covid Study

“Households are the site of most SARS-CoV-2 transmission globally.”

From the study:

“While the primary aim of vaccination is to protect individuals against severe COVID-19 disease and its consequences, the extent to which vaccines reduce onward transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is key to containing the pandemic. This outcome depends on the ability of vaccines to protect against infection and the extent to which vaccination reduces the infectiousness of breakthrough infections.”

• The spread of Covid in household contacts exposed to the delta variant was 25% for fully vaccinated individuals compared with 38% in unvaccinated individuals.
• Spread among household contacts exposed to fully vaccinated index cases [the first identified case in a group] was similar to household contacts exposed to unvaccinated index cases.
• Although peak viral load [the amount of virus in the body] did not differ by vaccination status or variant type, it increased modestly with age.
• Fully vaccinated individuals with delta variant infection had a faster mean rate of viral load decline than did unvaccinated individuals with pre-alpha, alpha , or delta variant infections.

“Vaccination reduces the risk of delta variant infection and accelerates viral clearance. Nonetheless, fully vaccinated individuals with breakthrough infections have peak viral load similar to unvaccinated cases and can efficiently transmit infection in household settings, including to fully vaccinated contacts. Host–virus interactions early in infection may shape the entire viral trajectory.”

Perhaps the firefighter/paramedic takeaway is that a firehouse environment is the worst kind of “household” for Covid with new sets of “relatives” arriving every twenty-four hours and living in close proximity.

Get vaccinated and save a fellow firefighter’s life.