3 ms·

Do you have a source for asymptomatic carriers? From https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-n

Do you have a source for asymptomatic carriers? From https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmission.html https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/transmissi... >>> Can someone spread the virus without being sick? People are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest). Some spread might be possible before people show symptoms; there have been reports of this occurring with this new coronavirus, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads. Doesn't seem to indicate asymptomatic carriers are a big concern?

wool_gather 7y ago
There are people getting sick without having been in contact with other people who are sick. How else would that happen? "Most contagious when symptomatic" is not even remotely the same thing as "not contagious unless symptomatic". We also don't have a good picture of what symptoms look like aside from the most serious cases.
- moises_silva 7y ago
  How would you possibly know reliably they were not in contact with anyone sick?, particularly when being in contact means touching any surfaces where the virus landed hours or it seems even days ago
icedchai 7y ago
There is a lot of uncertainty, doubt, and imprecision in those statements. "Some spread might...", "might be possible...", "this is not thought...", etc. These really mean: yes, it's possible. I would say asymptomatic carriers are the biggest concern.
- moises_silva 7y ago
  There's a big difference between 'yes, is technically possible' to having proof (and therefore certainty) that this is a big factor and a differentiator from other from other viruses.
  - icedchai 7y ago
    I think the proof is out there: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/covid-19/asymptomatic-carriers-covid-19-make-it-tough-target https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/covid-19/asymptomatic-...
    - moises_silva 7y ago
      Thank you for the links. I found it before as well with some quick googling but I felt the title deceptive after reading the actual studies linked [0] [1]. >>> The sequence of events suggests that the coronavirus may have been transmitted by the asymptomatic carrier. >>> If the findings in this report of presumed transmission by an asymptomatic carrier are replicated, the prevention of COVID-19 infection would prove challenging. The mechanism by which asymptomatic carriers could acquire and transmit the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 requires further study. >>> Considering the reported similarity in viral loads between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients [14] and that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic cases may be possible, even though there is no clear evidence as yet of asymptomatic transmission, the relatively high proportion of asymptomatic infections could have public health implications No clear evidence of asymptomatic transmission. A lot of 'probably', 'suggests' as before. It's certainly a growing possibility, but not I'd not call it proven yet as a big factor. [0] https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.10.2000180 https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.E... [1] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2762028 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/27620...

wool_gather 7y ago

There are people getting sick without having been in contact with other people who are sick. How else would that happen? "Most contagious when symptomatic" is not even remotely the same thing as "not contagious unless symptomatic". We also don't have a good picture of what symptoms look like aside from the most serious cases.

moises_silva 7y ago
How would you possibly know reliably they were not in contact with anyone sick?, particularly when being in contact means touching any surfaces where the virus landed hours or it seems even days ago

icedchai 7y ago

There is a lot of uncertainty, doubt, and imprecision in those statements. "Some spread might...", "might be possible...", "this is not thought...", etc. These really mean: yes, it's possible. I would say asymptomatic carriers are the biggest concern.

moises_silva 7y ago
There's a big difference between 'yes, is technically possible' to having proof (and therefore certainty) that this is a big factor and a differentiator from other from other viruses.
- icedchai 7y ago
  I think the proof is out there: https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/covid-19/asymptomatic-carriers-covid-19-make-it-tough-target https://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/covid-19/asymptomatic-...
  - moises_silva 7y ago
    Thank you for the links. I found it before as well with some quick googling but I felt the title deceptive after reading the actual studies linked [0] [1]. >>> The sequence of events suggests that the coronavirus may have been transmitted by the asymptomatic carrier. >>> If the findings in this report of presumed transmission by an asymptomatic carrier are replicated, the prevention of COVID-19 infection would prove challenging. The mechanism by which asymptomatic carriers could acquire and transmit the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 requires further study. >>> Considering the reported similarity in viral loads between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients [14] and that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic cases may be possible, even though there is no clear evidence as yet of asymptomatic transmission, the relatively high proportion of asymptomatic infections could have public health implications No clear evidence of asymptomatic transmission. A lot of 'probably', 'suggests' as before. It's certainly a growing possibility, but not I'd not call it proven yet as a big factor. [0] https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.10.2000180 https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.E... [1] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2762028 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/27620...