Household transmission of Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 under conditions of hybrid immunity-a prospective study in Germany

Abstract

Purpose: We investigated the protection offered by vaccinations and previous infections for the household transmission of Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. Methods: 34,666 participants of the German DigiHero cohort study with two or more household members were invited to a prospective household transmission study between June and December 2022. In case of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test in a household, symptom diaries were completed for at least 14 days. Dry blood spots (DBS) were taken from all household members at the beginning and six to eight weeks later. DBS were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Results: 1191 individuals from 457 households participated. The risk of acquiring a SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased with higher S-titer levels at the time of exposure (from 80% at titer of 0 binding antibody units (BAU)/ml to 20% at titer of 3000 BAU/ml) and increased linearly with the time since vaccination/previous infection (20% for less than one month to 80% at one year). Transmission probability was also reduced when the symptoms of the primary case were mild and if preventive measures were implemented. Conclusion: Vaccinations/previous infections offer a high protection against infection with the Omicron variant for a few months only, supporting the notion of seasonal circulation of the virus.