Increased risk of COVID-19 from walking dogs? Most likely, a spurious finding

Abstract

\n We analyse the paper “The spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain: Hygiene habits, sociodemographic profile, mobility patterns and comorbidities” authored by Rodríguez-Barranco et al. (2021), published in Environmental Research, vol.192, January 2021. The study was carried out under challenging conditions and provides original data of great value for exploratory purposes. Nevertheless, we found that the authors have not considered the potential effect of the multiple hypothesis testing carried out until obtaining the final model on the increased occurrence of false discoveries by mere chance. After adjusting the results provided in the paper for the effects of multiple testing, we conclude that only one of the five factors cited as statistically significant and relevant in the article, living with someone who has suffered from COVID-19, remained significantly related to the relative prevalence of COVID-19. Therefore, the preeminent role given in the analysed work to walking the dog as one of the main transmission routes of COVID-19 probably does not correspond to an actual effect. Instead, until replicated by other studies, it should be considered a spurious discovery.\n