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Asymptomatic transmission, while possible, is rare.

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M20-2671




"Of these 127 [COVID-19 cases], 8 (6.3% [CI, 2.1% to 10.5%]) were asymptomatic. Of the 119 symptomatic cases, 20 (16.8%) were defined as mild, 87 (73.1%) as moderate, and 12 (10.1%) as severe or critical."

6.3% of transmissions being asymptomatic doesn't sound rare to me.

Also, the 89.9% of people with mild or moderate cases may still not realize they have covid, and spread it.


It's also worth noting that there is confusion between "asymptomatic" and "pre-symptomatic". In the health industry apparently "asymptomatic" means you never present symptoms, however you can be "pre-symptomatic"(meaning you will present symptoms) and spread the disease as well. The media had been using "asymptomatic" to mean both, but then a study came out saying it was rare and blah blah blah.

Should I be surprised how many people on HN have resorted to conspiracy theories, accusations of malice, and discreditation over changing and mixed information? We live in a world of changing requirements but somehow changing recommendations based on new and changing information is all the evidence we need to indulge ourselves in confirmation bias?


If it was, we wouldn't be in this situation

(and the article doesn't say anything about asymptomatic transmission, only that 8% of secondary infected people were asymptomatic)




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