SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – Why are some people able to avoid COVID-19 even when their housemates or family members are suffering from an infection?
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Dr. Warner Greene, Senior investigator at Gladstone Institutes and Professor of Medicine, Microbiology, and Immunology at UCSF, told KCBS Radio news anchor Melissa Culross on "Ask An Expert," the answer may lie in the layout of the house.
"It is a complex dynamic between the infected individual and the home and others who live there," Greene said. "Whether transmission occurs, it's about a 50/50 proposition and maybe a little higher with the current BA.5 variant. But it all depends upon how much virus the infected person is producing, what the state of immunity is, what types of exposure they have and just general characteristics of the home."
Individuals who live in a house with constant airflow from windows or air cleaners — such as HVAC Filters — will have a lower chance of contracting the virus. "Homes that are airy with great ventilation etc., it's less likely in that setting to transmit than a closed room where all of the aerosol particles are essentially trapped," Greene explained.
If someone you live with has COVID-19, the UCSF health expert said both housemates should mask up and the person dealing with the infection should isolate. "Try and stay away from others for a period of at least five days until you test negative — taking general isolation precautions," he advised.
"They're not going to be perfect," Greene added. "Some types of interactions are invariably going to occur."
Often, even if the COVID-19 infected housemate or family member is able to successfully isolate, there are places where overlap may be impossible to avoid, such as the bathroom.
"If the other person is in the bathroom at the same time brushing their teeth that might be a problem, but in general transmission from surfaces is not a primary mechanism for spread," Greene reassured.
In general, lots of handwashing, wiping down the area and overall cleanliness will keep the uninfected individuals safe, Greene said.
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