Family Secondary Cases from Covid-19 Breakthrough Infections in Vaccinated People

  • Jose Luis Turabian Specialist in Family and Community Medicine, Health Center Santa Maria de Benquerencia. Regional Health Service of Castilla la Mancha (SESCAM), Toledo, Spain.
Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Household Contact, Secondary Attack Rate, Vaccination, Breakthrough Infection, General Practice

Abstract

Background: It is not clear whether vaccinating individual people against SARS-CoV-2 protects members of their households.

Objective: To study the prevalence and characteristics of secondary cases in family members after the appearance of a primary case of COVID-19 breakthrough infection

Methodology: An observational, longitudinal, and prospective study of families with one primary case of COVID-19 breakthrough infection was conducted from February 1 to November 30, 2021, in a general medicine office in Toledo, Spain.

Results: 13 primary cases in 13 families (46 people) were included. The crude secondary attack rate (secondary cases / exposed population with complete or incomplete vaccination (15/23) was 45%. The crude secondary attack rate in contacts with complete vaccination (9/17) was 53%. The vaccine effectiveness against transmission among households among contacts (Secondary attack rate in vaccinated / Secondary attack rate in unvaccinated) × 100%= 53/69) was 77%. All secondary cases were mild. Secondary cases were more young women with a lower socio-occupational level.

Conclusion: In the context of general medicine in Toledo (Spain), when the delta variant became dominant, but before the rise of omicron, vaccination reduces but does not eliminate the risk of COVID-19 transmission within homes (crowded indoor environments), which remain important places for transmission. It is suggested to re-evaluate the protocol that vaccinated family contacts do not require isolation.

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Published
2022-03-01
How to Cite
Turabian, J. L. (2022). Family Secondary Cases from Covid-19 Breakthrough Infections in Vaccinated People. International Research in Medical and Health Sciences, 5(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.36437/irmhs.2022.5.1.A