#[1]alternate [2]alternate

#[1]alternate [2]alternate

[3]BBC Homepage
* [4]Skip to content
* [5]Accessibility Help

* [6]Your account
* [7]Home
* [8]News
* [9]Sport
* [10]Reel
* [11]Worklife
* [12]Travel
* [13]Future
* [14]Culture
* [15]MenuMore

[16]Search
* [17]Home
* [18]News
* [19]Sport
* [20]Reel
* [21]Worklife
* [22]Travel
* [23]Future
* [24]Culture
* [25]Music
* [26]TV
* [27]Weather
* [28]Sounds

(BUTTON) Close menu
[29]BBC News

[30]Menu
* [31]Home
* [32]Coronavirus
* [33]Climate
* [34]Video
* [35]World
* [36]US & Canada
* [37]UK
* [38]Business
* [39]Tech
* [40]Science
* [41]Stories

[42]More
* [43]Entertainment & Arts
* [44]Health
* [45]In Pictures
* [46]Reality Check
* [47]World News TV
* [48]Newsbeat
* [49]Long Reads

* [50]Health
* [51]Coronavirus

Covid: Double vaccinated can still spread virus at home

By Michelle Roberts
Health editor, BBC News online

Published
3 hours ago

(BUTTON) Share
(BUTTON) close
Share page
(BUTTON) Copy link
[52]About sharing
Related Topics
* [53]Coronavirus pandemic

Housemates sharing a pizza Image source, Getty Images

Double jabbed people are catching Covid and passing it on to those they
live with, warn experts who have studied UK household cases.

Individuals who have had two vaccine doses can be just as infectious as
those who have not been jabbed.

Even if they have no or few symptoms, the chance of them transmitting
the virus to other unvaccinated housemates is about two in five, or
38%.

This drops to one in four, or 25%, if housemates are also fully
vaccinated.

[54]The Lancet Infectious Diseases work shows why getting even more
people vaccinated and protected is important, they say.

Unvaccinated people cannot rely on those around them being jabbed to
remove their risk of getting infected, they warn.
* [55]Covid infection protection waning in double jabbed

Vaccines do an excellent job of preventing serious Covid illness and
deaths, but are less good at stopping infections, particularly since
the emergence of the more infectious Delta variant which is dominant in
the UK.

And over time, the protection offered by vaccines wanes and needs
boosting with further doses.
Chart shows fall i n protection against infection for Pfizer and
AstraZeneca

Since households are where most Covid transmission occurs, making sure
every member who is eligible for a vaccine has had one and is up to
date with their doses makes sense, say experts.

According to the study, which ran from September 2020 to September 2021
and included 440 households in London and Bolton doing PCR Covid tests:
* People who are double jabbed have a lower, but still appreciable,
risk of becoming infected with the Delta variant compared with
unvaccinated people
* They also appear to be just as infectious
* Vaccinated people clear the infection more quickly, but their peak
viral load - when people are most infectious - is similar to that
seen in unvaccinated people
* This may explain why they can still readily pass on the virus in
household settings

Prof Ajit Lalvani, of Imperial College London, UK, who co-led the
study, said: "The ongoing transmission we are seeing between vaccinated
people makes it essential for unvaccinated people to get vaccinated to
protect themselves from acquiring infection and severe Covid-19,
especially as more people will be spending time inside in close
proximity during the winter months.

"We found that susceptibility to infection increased already within a
few months after the second vaccine dose - so those eligible for
booster shots should get them promptly."

Co-lead Dr Anika Singanayagam, also from Imperial, said: "Our findings
provide important insights into the effect of vaccination in the face
of new variants, and specifically, why the Delta variant is continuing
to cause high Covid case numbers around the world, even in countries
with high vaccination rates.

"Continued public health and social measures to curb transmission -
such as mask wearing, social distancing, and testing - thus remain
important, even in vaccinated individuals."

Related Topics

* [56]Bolton
* [57]Coronavirus vaccines
* [58]Vaccination
* [59]Coronavirus pandemic

More on this story

* [60]'Booster jab protects myself and other people'

Published
4 days ago

* [61]UK reports 39,842 cases on Thursday

Published
1 hour ago

* [62]Delta 'Plus' variant may spread more readily

Published
6 days ago

Related Internet Links

* [63]The Lancet Infectious Diseases

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Top Stories

* [64]Oil chiefs deny misleading on climate change
Companies are accused of having spent decades denying their
products' role in fuelling climate change.

Published
7 hours ago

* [65]Biden announces revamped $1.75tn spending plan

Published
2 hours ago

* [66]Facebook changes its name to Meta in major rebrand

Published
22 minutes ago

Features

* [67]Covid passes set to stay as Europe heads for winter
Anna Holligan with Dutch Coronacheck app
* [68]How the pandemic made us more adventurous drinkers
Two hands carrying rum coctkails
* [69]'My great-grandfather sculpted the Benin Bronzes'
Monday Aigbe standing alongside a statue of his great-grandfather
*
* [70]Why I'm playing a black woman who passed as white. VideoWhy I'm
playing a black woman who passed as white
Ruth Negga in Passing
* [71]The odd couple blocking Biden's climate agenda
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema and Sen. Joe Manchin board an elevator on
Capitol Hill on 30 Sept 2021 in Washington, DC
* [72]Is India on track to meet its climate targets?
Coal supplies power to around 70% of India's electric grid
* [73]Surviving in Kuwait's 'unbearable' heat. VideoSurviving in
Kuwait's 'unbearable' heat
Woman with hand on her forehead in Kuwait
* [74]BBC Culture: The most disturbing film ever made?
Tadanobu Asano in Ichi the Killer

Elsewhere on the BBC

* [75]Football phrases
15 sayings from around the world
football being kicked on a field - Vauxhall image blurred in the
background.

Most Read

* 1[76]Facebook changes its name to Meta in major rebrand
* 2[77]DNA confirms man is Sitting Bull's great-grandson
* 3[78]Double jabbed can easily spread Covid at home
* 4[79]No more super skyscrapers, says China
* 5[80]Biden announces revamped $1.75tn spending plan
* 6[81]New York schools ban Squid Game Halloween costumes
* 7[82]Hundreds of sea turtles wash up dead in Mexico
* 8[83]Laos makes Asia's largest ever drug bust
* 9[84]Chinese launch very concerning, says US general
* 10[85]Moscow shops and restaurants shut in new lockdown

BBC News Services

* [86]On your mobile
* [87]On smart speakers
* [88]Get news alerts
* [89]Contact BBC News

* [90]Home
* [91]News
* [92]Sport
* [93]Reel
* [94]Worklife
* [95]Travel
* [96]Future
* [97]Culture
* [98]Music
* [99]TV
* [100]Weather
* [101]Sounds

* [102]Terms of Use
* [103]About the BBC
* [104]Privacy Policy
* [105]Cookies
* [106]Accessibility Help
* [107]Parental Guidance
* [108]Contact the BBC
* [109]Get Personalised Newsletters
* [110]Why you can trust the BBC
* [111]Advertise with us
* [112]AdChoices / Do Not Sell My Info

© 2021 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external
sites. [113]Read about our approach to external linking.

References

1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59077036
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59077036
3. https://www.bbc.com/
4. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59077036#main-heading
5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/
6. https://account.bbc.com/account?lang=en-GB&ptrt=https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59077036
7. https://www.bbc.com/
8. https://www.bbc.com/news
9. https://www.bbc.com/sport
10. https://www.bbc.com/reel
11. https://www.bbc.com/worklife
12. https://www.bbc.com/travel
13. https://www.bbc.com/future
14. https://www.bbc.com/culture
15. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59077036#footer-navigation
16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/search
17. https://www.bbc.com/
18. https://www.bbc.com/news
19. https://www.bbc.com/sport
20. https://www.bbc.com/reel
21. https://www.bbc.com/worklife
22. https://www.bbc.com/travel
23. https://www.bbc.com/future
24. https://www.bbc.com/culture
25. https://www.bbc.com/culture/music
26. https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m
27. https://www.bbc.com/weather
28. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds
29. https://www.bbc.com/news
30. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59077036#product-navigation-menu
31. https://www.bbc.com/news
32. https://www.bbc.com/news/coronavirus
33. https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56837908
34. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/10462520
35. https://www.bbc.com/news/world
36. https://www.bbc.com/news/world/us_and_canada
37. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk
38. https://www.bbc.com/news/business
39. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology
40. https://www.bbc.com/news/science_and_environment
41. https://www.bbc.com/news/stories
42. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59077036#product-navigation-more-menu
43. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment_and_arts
44. https://www.bbc.com/news/health
45. https://www.bbc.com/news/in_pictures
46. https://www.bbc.com/news/reality_check
47. https://www.bbc.com/news/world_radio_and_tv
48. https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat
49. https://www.bbc.com/news/the_reporters
50. https://www.bbc.com/news/health
51. https://www.bbc.com/news/coronavirus
52. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms/can-i-share-things-from-the-bbc
53. https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cyz0z8w0ydwt
54. https://www.thelancet.com/lancet/article/s1473309921006484
55. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58322882
56. https://www.bbc.com/news/localnews/2655237-bolton/0
57. https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/c87z0we2g0zt
58. https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cdl8n2ede1zt
59. https://www.bbc.com/news/topics/cyz0z8w0ydwt
60. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-59013673
61. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51768274
62. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59009293
63. https://www.thelancet.com/lancet/article/s1473309921006484
64. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-us-canada-59080124
65. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59081791
66. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59083601
67. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58973334
68. https://www.bbc.com/news/business-58992784
69. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59065274
70. https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59067060
71. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59060739
72. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-58922398
73. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-59054893
74. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20211026-how-ichi-the-killer-brought-ultra-violence-to-the-mainstream
75. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/51MWxHsTD7YhW4gTWWtPvKf/end-to-end-with-15-football-phrases-from-around-the-world?intc_type=promo&intc_location=news&intc_campaign=fifteenfootballphrases_article&intc_linkname=radio4_sm_mid_c3
76. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59083601
77. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59062133
78. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-59077036
79. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-59046480
80. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59081791
81. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59075823
82. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-59077086
83. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-59062134
84. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-59072616
85. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-59076152
86. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628994
87. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/help-50068132
88. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10628323
89. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/20039682
90. https://www.bbc.com/
91. https://www.bbc.com/news
92. https://www.bbc.com/sport
93. https://www.bbc.com/reel
94. https://www.bbc.com/worklife
95. https://www.bbc.com/travel
96. https://www.bbc.com/future
97. https://www.bbc.com/culture
98. https://www.bbc.com/culture/music
99. https://www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p00fzl9m
100. https://www.bbc.com/weather
101. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds
102. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/terms
103. https://www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc
104. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/privacy
105. https://www.bbc.co.uk/usingthebbc/cookies
106. https://www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility
107. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/guidance
108. https://www.bbc.co.uk/contact
109. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcnewsletter
110. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/help-41670342
111. https://www.bbcglobalnews.com/home/
112. https://www.bbc.com/usingthebbc/cookies/how-does-the-bbc-use-cookies-for-advertising/
113. https://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidance/feeds-and-links