How can only one spouse be infected?

[mackers1]

Since Charles tested positive, and Camilla didn't, I've wondered how that could possibly be the case.

I had a few days in April with mild symptoms. I thought that it was just a cold. I did isolate in that I didn't leave the house but I didn't isolate in the home. In fact, I carried on with wfh, cooking for family- spending time with them, sleeping with husband etc. The loss of taste/smell happened on day 5/6 and so I took an antibody test last week, and so did my husband. I have the antibodies, my husband does not. How could he possibly not have been infected after having being exposed to it to that extent?

DIL had it DS did not tis a strange virus that is for sure.

Not everyone catches all diseases they are exposed to, the human race would have died out long ago if that was the case.
Some people may have a predisposition or a genetic make up which gives them immunity.

My friend had it, felt grim. Husband and kids.nothing! Another friend had it and passed it to DP, again kids ..no sign! It doesnt affect everyone and you can have it without symptoms!
Both friends were nurses btw.

People’s immune systems differ, really. And it’s impossible to know exactly via what route a virus was transmitted, especially one that is very contagious.

Do you and your DH always get colds etc at the same time?

In my house/family it can really vary, sometimes we all get something, sometimes not. One Christmas I was the only person not unwell with flu and so I had to do everything and look after 4 other people, including a toddler (so lots of personal care, lack of hygiene etc) and I still didn’t catch it.

I agree it’s very strange . I wish we knew more , there should be far more tracking and tracing .

I don’t think it’s quite as contagious as we think it is. Think we’ve been conditioned to believe anyone we come anywhere near even for a second will get it. Hoping someone scientific will be along soon to explain the R number and stuff a bit better!

I didn’t actually know there were antibody tests... I’m more interested in that bit of your post!

Because not everyone will get it. The same as not everyone catches a cold when it goes round, or catches D&V when it spreads through a school.

Some people may be super healthy, maybe they have different DNA or something that means they don't get it. This virus is so new that we don't know the reasons, but there are always people who don't get sick when a virus does the rounds.

My SIL had it really bad and was in bed for 10 days. My DB had a slight temp for a couple of days and then was fine. It’s such a weird virus.

Norovirus is something I never catch from the kids.

Interestingly re covid there was a study of blood groups A and B were more likely to get it than O groups.

We think I had it back in March. DS1 and DH - nothing. DS2 was very poorly, and still hasn't properly recovered.

Last year DD2 had a really bad stomach bug (caught at school). Prior to showing symptoms, she was sharing a bed with her sister, kissing us, hugging her sister etc.

I caught it from her. DH and DD1 didn't.

Illnesses are unpredictable.

I’ve seen secondary transmission rates within households quoted at anything between 15 & 30% ... I don’t know if there’s enough evidence to be definite. Spouses seem to be at the higher end - 25+% and children at the lower end. It also depends the number of people who have it in the household - obviously people have more chance of being infected if two or more others in the household are. There’s quite a lot of published stuff (household transmission, secondary infection, household attack rate etc) but nothing really big ... this Torygraph article has a summary but obviously it’s just the newspaper version

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-spreads-affects-countries-differently/

“the attack rate in children was just four per cent within the home, compared with 17.1 per cent in adults, for example. The infection of spouses was super high, at 28 per cent. ”

“ household members over 60 were much more likely to become infected (18 per cent) than those under 20 (five per cent).”

“The evidence also points to the power of good hygiene. Household attack rates are high, at 20 per cent – but that leaves 80 per cent who escape despite living under the same roof.”

The current tests are not 100% accurate - it could be that simple

Yes- that all makes perfect sense, robust immune systems and perhaps not so contagious. But from what we have been led to believe, it's like a bio agent. Pass someone in the street with it and you will be infected.

My dad had it in late Jan. Neither me or mum caught it. Me and my mum then got it at the start of the lockdown. My dad never got ill again even though he was in the same bed as mum. My dh never got ill and we were in the same bed.

Either it's not a contagious as they say, or if your immune system is fully fighting fit you won't fall ill.

I think I was fit enough to fight it off when my dad had it. I then fell pregnant in Feb and so became susceptible to it. My dh never ever gets ill from colds and viruses. He only gets stomach illnesses. So he was never gonna get ill from it.

Hi OP, my DH has something nasty that we think may have been covid, DS2 had a bit of an upset tummy a week or so later, me and DS1 nothing.

Where did you get your antibody tests? Would like to know for sure whether DH actually had it.

@justasking111 where did you see that study / a reference to it? Would be really interested to read it.

It’s not though, transmission is primarily in confined spaces with close contact (public transport, offices, hospitals, care homes, prisons, cruise ships & the aircraft carriers, within the home), it’s really not from walking past someone in the street or park or from opening your post.

My sister’s DP was quite ill, delirious with fever, really sore throat etc, Sister just had very mild chills and diarrhoea. Sister is a key worker so they both had tests. She came back as positive while he came back negative. Work that one out.

Who knows. I work in a care home. One resident now tested Positive. So all staff have been tested as it must have come from staff as residents in lockdown. He now getting better a week in and so far no positive test from anyone else. Is werid maybe tests are not that reliable.

The superspreader events effect in transmission is really interesting too www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/05/why-do-some-covid-19-patients-infect-many-others-whereas-most-don-t-spread-virus-all

DH quite often gets a nasty cold and I don't 🤷🏽‍♀️

The Heidenberg study (German version of Wuhan, scientists tested a thousand residents and their homes) found you only have a fifty fifty chance of catching it from someone you live with. Which is obviously supported by the Charles and camila case. I don’t really understand why though, other than it’s not as infectious as originally thought.

it’s really not from walking past someone in the street or park or from opening your post.

SIL only went to the supermarket once a week. She caught it - who from, because her DH didn’t get it?

Pass someone in the street with it and you will be infected

I think this is proven to be untrue, it’s about how close you are and it needs to be for a prolonged period. They haven’t said the time, but they think at least twenty mins.

You won’t be infected passing someone on the street or even on the train, or the supermarket, you get it in cramped work spaces or busy social places. Places Where people are close together for a prolonged period. They think that’s how it’s transmitted.

And even then, it’s not a given you’ll get it.

According to this article, most people do not pass it on to others. Its estimated that 80% of the spread can be traced to just 10% of cases. Its not as contagious as they first thought it seems