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What you can do to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 to the people you live with

CDC studies 101 households with confirmed COVID-19 case

DETROIT – With increasing COVID-19 cases, there’s a distinct possibility that someone in your home could test positive for coronavirus.

If they do, a new paper from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there’s a good chance COVID-19 will spread to other family members, and quickly.

READ: Michigan COVID testing is up. But so is the positivity rate

When you’re in public you can use a mask and social distance yourself to reduce the spread of coronavirus. But when you’re home with your family, or whoever you share a living space with, you let your guard down.

That’s natural. So, if someone you live with tests positive there are some steps you can take.

The CDC did a study following 101 households that began with just one confirmed case of COVID-19. More than half of people living with those patients went on to test positive and the spread was fast.

Around 75 percent of infections were diagnosed within 5 days of the original patient’s first symptoms. Researchers said the age of the first patient did not matter. Adults, children and teens all spread the virus to others in their household.

If someone in your home does show symptoms they should isolate themselves immediately. Everyone in the home should wear a mask when they’re in the same room.

Read: Complete COVID-19 coverage


About the Authors
Frank McGeorge, MD headshot

Dr. McGeorge can be seen on Local 4 News helping Metro Detroiters with health concerns when he isn't helping save lives in the emergency room at Henry Ford Hospital.

Kayla Clarke headshot

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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