We have published a new paper in eLife on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in South African households. This study combines wearable proximity sensors with virological data to assess the association between close-range contact patterns and SARS-CoV-2 transmission within households.
The study involved 340 individuals (88 index cases and 252 household members) who wore proximity sensors for two weeks after SARS-CoV-2 was identified in the household. While viral load and demographic factors were associated with transmission risk, we did not find an association between close-range proximity events and SARS-CoV-2 acquisition. These findings may suggest that airborne transmission in shared household spaces plays a larger role than droplet-mediated transmission during close-proximity contacts, or may reflect the high baseline contact rates within households.
