Asymptomatic has a strict definition. You get the virus and nothing happens to you. This is what the WHO and Fauci are referring to.
But most "asymptomatic" cases aren't. They are either paucisymptomatic (you have mild symptoms - maybe too mild to notice) or pre-symptomatic.
Obviously if people were only contagious if showing symptoms, the pandemic wouldn't be.
> Obviously if people were only contagious if showing symptoms, the pandemic wouldn't be.
I don't think that is obviously the case at all. It would have to be proved. The dominant vectors of contagion are not yet well understood - we could be dealing with very highly infectious airborne virus, that is capable of spreading widely from a relatively small number of symptomatic and pre-symptomatic super spreaders.
The fact remains that current public health interventions orientate around isolating individuals whether they are symptomatic, asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic. Moreover, to greater and lesser degrees we also isolate the healthy, assuming them to be asymptomatic in an abundance of caution. Considering the negative non-covid related knock on effects of these policies its at least worth investigating isn't it?
The calculated R0 does not support this theory. Measles works this way. R0 for Measles is > 10
> that current public health interventions orientate around isolating individuals whether they are symptomatic, asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic
Everywhere, the restrictions are higher if you were tested and/or is suspected of having Covid. Of course a lot of people DNGAF about the restrictions, which is part of the problem.
Again, if your theory that people showing no symptoms do not transmit the disease then it should be super easy to go around and start finding people spreading it. But it isn.t
People will say to themselves well, it's just a cough right? Just a cough. I can't have COVID-19 that's something other people get, those people are sick but I'm healthy, this is just a cough. And that allows the virus to spread.
Or you notice them but because they also match symptoms of colds and allergies, and you’ve been getting them on and off for months, you assume they aren’t COVID.
I don’t think there has been an interval longer than a week since February during which I didn’t have at least a couple symptoms that could have been COVID.
I’ve not had the taste/smell loss, and all my contact with other people has been masked and brief, and I’m in an area where spread has been low, so I’ve probably not had it, but I wish we had widespread cheap testing so I could know.
It's remarkable the number of people anecdotally reporting similar symptoms - often out of character for otherwise robustly healthy individuals. I'm guessing some sort of psychosomatic response to the year's stresses.
I have been having the same, but the main reason why I notice it now is that every time I have any symptom, even the mildest of them, I take notice and consider the possibility of Covid, whereas in past years I would forget about them if even notice at all.
For context, I'm a fairly healthy individual who hasn't seen a GP or other medical doctor in at least a couple years, probably longer. Last time I've been to one was because of exercise-related injuries.
This is hypochondria isn't it? A pathology in its own right, no doubt caused by current events.
It's not hypochondria, it's simple awareness.
That being said it seems the most specific symptom is loss of smell/taste so unless you have that it's probably something else (disclaimer: not a doctor and this is not medical advice)
Exactly. I have occasionally runny nose combined with sporadic sneezes and coughs pretty much every winter. If someone like my had so "mild" COVID symptoms they would consider themselves asymptomatic (paucisymptomatic?), and rightfully so. (My actual COVID symptoms were not as mild, but not very serious either.)