Shops pose most threat for Covid-19 infection, says recent study

Shopping weekly emerged to be the most risky affair as it meant people were nearly 2.2 times more likely to contract Covid-19 virus late last year, says a recent study.

According to SAGE's Virus Watch Study, shops pose a greater threat than theatres, cinemas, sporting events, public transport and the workplace when no restrictions are in place – and is second only to public transport when severe restrictions are imposed.

“Both during periods of intense restrictions and no restrictions, shopping accounted for the highest proportion of infections acquired outside the home,” according to the paper, dated December 20, by Dr Susan Hopkins of the UK Health Security Agency and Imperial College London, and Professor Andrew Hayward of University College London.

Outdoor sports was the activity with the second-highest chance of infection, says the study. But this could be linked to "social activities" linked to sports as well as taking part in physical activity, researchers said.

Visiting pubs, restaurants and using public transport were also highlighted in the study as activities which carried an increased risk of contracting the virus before the Omicron variant took hold.

The study found that going to shops once a week meant people were nearly 2.2 times as likely to contract the virus.

Going to a pub, restaurant and using public transport meant people were 1.3 times as likely to test positive for Covid between September and November last year.

The paper looked at various non-household activities of 10,849 people over the age of 16, during the second wave of the pandemic from October 2020 to April 2021, when there were significant restrictions in place, and during September and November 2021, when there were no restrictions in place.

The data was collected before the Omicron variant began ripping through the UK in December.

The study comes as more than 140,000 cases were confirmed by the Department of Health today (10), bringing the seven day total to 1.28 million infections.

A further 313 people have died from Covid-19 - bringing the UK's official death toll past 150,000.