Covid-19 infection risk rises by 78% for dog owners: Study

A new study has found that people who cohabit are more at risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2, especially dog owners.

The study revealed that living with a dog and buying basic products in the supermarket with home delivery were the two main risk factors in the transmission of the Covid-19 virus during the national lockdown in Spain, between March and May 2020.

The risk rose by 78 per cent in the case of living with a dog, and by 94 per cent in that of supermarket home delivery.

Researchers at the University of Granada (UGR) and the Andalusian School of Public Health carried out the study which was published in the journal Environmental Research.

However, the researchers are yet to figure out whether or not animals are the host of the virus and transmit it directly or the owners got infected indirectly after the dogs were exposed to objects contaminated with the virus.

Their study further revealed that the chance of contracting coronavirus for cohabiters is 60 times higher. Notably, the risk of contracting the disease was up to 78 per cent higher among those living with a dog and taking it for a walk.

However, other pets such as cats had no significant effect on the prevalence of COVID-19.

The researchers mentioned that so far, there is limited information on whether animals play a significant role in spreading COVID-19.

According to CDC’s earlier statement, the risk of animals spreading COVID-19 to people is considered to be low.

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