Study estimates the places you are most likely to catch Covid with shopping a big surprise

Doing a weekly shop carried the highest risk of catching Covid late last year, new data from the UK shows.

Estimates from SAGE's Virus Watch Study - based on the daily activities of 10,000 people across the Irish Sea - found that outdoor sports was the activity with the second-highest chance of infection.

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 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 - the Mirror UK reports.

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.

Outdoor sport carried a risk level of 1.36 per cent, the study - which has yet to be peer-reviewed - found.

Unsurprisingly those who had to leave their home for work were more likely to contract Covid-19 than those who did not.

However, experts were unable to present reliable data showing how risky going to the cinema, concerts or nightclubs was.

(Getty Images)

According to the Virus Watch Study, the activities which carried the highest risk of infection were:

• Shopping - 2.18%
• Playing a sport outdoors - 1.36%
• Using a bus - 1.31%
• Eating at a restaurant or cafe - 1.29%
• Using public transport more than once a week - 1.28%
• Going to a pub, bar or club - 1.28%
• Going to a party - 1.27%
• Going to a gym or indoor sports - 1.27%
• Leaving home for work - 1.2%
• Using a taxi - 1.19%
• Using an overground train or tram - 1.18%

However there was "no good evidence" to show how risky going to theatres, cinemas, concerts or sports events were.

The same was true for going to hairdressers, barbers, nail salons or beauty salons.

The data was collected before the Omicron variant began ripping through the UK and the rest of the world in December.