Visiting gyms and restaurants 'does not appear to increase risk of Covid infection', study finds
Visiting gyms and restaurants does not appear to increase the risk of infection from coronavirus, according to new research.
A study by Public Health Wales looked at the risk factors for catching coronavirus in a community setting.
Along with gyms, leisure centres and restaurants, it also found that visiting supermarkets did not pose a higher risk.
The Public Health Wales report said: 'The safety of supermarkets, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres has been debated. Visiting these facilities did not appear to increase risk of infection'.
There have been long-standing calls from gym owners and hospitality workers for clarity on when they will be allowed to operate again.
The conversations around mental health and women's safety have also increased public support for reopening gyms.
There is no indication yet when either will be able to resume.
Although visiting restaurants does not appear to increase the risk of infection, the study found that working in the hospitality sector and going to the pub were 'significant' risks.
However, the timing of the study meant people taking part had less exposure to this type of environment.
The study took place before national lockdown restrictions were introduced in Wales on 20 December, but during a time when activity in the hospitality sector was restricted.
The study by Public Health Wales also found there is a much greater risk of catching the virus at home.
Working in social or healthcare also puts people at increased risk, while smoking or vaping had a 'small but significant' effect, possibly due to hand-to-mouth contact.
But no evidence was found that education settings provided a significant risk of transmission to adults.
Working in education, living with someone working in education, or living with school age children were 'not important risk factors', Public Health Wales said.
The study was carried out between 21 November and 20 December 2020 and looked at the evidence from mass testing in Merthyr Tydfil and the Cynon Valley.
It focused on risk factors for catching coronavirus in a community setting, with 99.6 per cent attending the testing pilot being asymptomatic at the time.
Data was collected during the height of the second wave of the pandemic, in an area that had some of the highest rates of infection in the UK.
The study takes its findings from the responses to an online questionnaire completed by 199 people with a positive test (cases) and a sample of 2,621 negatives (controls), with questions asked on demographic and social risk factors.
These included age, ethnicity, and occupation, area of residence, people you share a household with, caring responsibilities, and social interactions in the previous ten days.
Public Health Wales said that whilst the findings relate to a specific community at a specific time in the course of the epidemic when social restrictions were in place, the information will be useful in supporting policy decisions.
Professor Daniel Thomas, an epidemiologist for Public Health Wales, said: “Limited information is available on the social, demographic and behavioural factors associated with transmission of coronavirus in the community.
“The conducting of mass testing provides a good opportunity to explore these risks by conducting large-scale epidemiological studies, and, with sufficient sample size, can provide information to help inform and support the ongoing response to the pandemic.
“This study reminds us that while education settings do not appear to present a significant transmission risk for coronavirus, there is a much greater risk of catching the virus at home, in a hospitality setting, or in the pub.
"This reinforces the need to avoid mixing with other households, and sticking to coronavirus restrictions by working from home if you can, wearing a face covering where required, washing your hands regularly and staying two metres from anyone you do not live with."
The community mass testing was carried out by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.
Dr Kelechi Nnoaham, director of public health at Cwm Taf Morgannwg, said: “It’s fantastic to see the information gathered from our mass testing programme in Merthyr Tydfil and the Cynon Valley being used to keep people safe all across Wales.
"We are now running a new community testing programme in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg region, open to any resident without symptoms of Covid-19.
"This will help us to identify and isolate asymptomatic cases and stop the spread of coronavirus in our communities. We encourage people to check their local authority website to find out where they can get tested.”
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