Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infections - How rare?

[Ready]

Every time someone mentions about an antibody test, I've been asking which strain it's supposed to test, as there are at least two strains found by scientists that many scientists seem to agree with, but there may be even more strains. Nobody has given me any answers so far.

Does anybody know if this test is supposed to be able to detect different strains of COVID-19? I am not sure if anybody should go back to work if the person has only had one strain, but not the other strain... Or does having been infected by one strain make the person immune to the other strain?

Any discussions around antibodies and immunity has revolved around looking at other viruses and using historical information to project how COVID-19 behaves. Nobody has made a declarative statement on COVID-19 immunity because there is not enough data to reach any conclusions. The first case of it only showed up less than four months ago. There hasn’t been enough time since infected people have recovered for there to be a way to reach any conclusions about long term effects or multiple strains.

 

[NW-Bound]

Everything I've seen about COVID-19 strains (and there a bunch) says they are not very different and don't behave any different. From what I can tell, the "different strains" meme is totally academic and not relevant to actual treatments or vaccines.

And antibody tests don't detect COVID-19, they detect the antibodies that your body generates to fight it.

But do different strains of COVID-19 spur different antibodies?

That seems to be the case with influenza, which requires different vaccines for different strains.

 

[REWahoo]

But do different strains of COVID-19 spur different antibodies?

That seems to be the case with influenza, which requires different vaccines for different strains.

This article indicates the strains identified so far are very similar and are slow to mutate.

While researchers caution they're only seeing the tip of the iceberg, the tiny differences between the virus strains suggest shelter-in-place orders are working in some areas and that no one strain of the virus is more deadly than another. They also say it does not appear the strains will grow more lethal as they evolve.

“The virus mutates so slowly that the virus strains are fundamentally very similar to each other,”...

8 strains of the coronavirus are circling the globe. Here's what clues they're giving scientists

 

[FIREd_2015]

Results of testing on U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt reveal that the majority of the positive cases (60%) are asymptomatic at least so far.

"...The Navy’s testing of the entire 4,800-member crew of the aircraft carrier - which is about 94% complete...Roughly 60 percent of the over 600 sailors who tested positive so far have not shown symptoms of COVID-19..."

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...rcraft-carrier-are-symptom-free-idUSKCN21Y2GB

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

Results of testing on U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt reveal that the majority of the positive cases (60%) are asymptomatic at least so far.

"...The Navy’s testing of the entire 4,800-member crew of the aircraft carrier - which is about 94% complete...Roughly 60 percent of the over 600 sailors who tested positive so far have not shown symptoms of COVID-19..."

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...rcraft-carrier-are-symptom-free-idUSKCN21Y2GB

A useful test - would be to follow the progression of the asymptomatic sailors to see how many go on to develop symptoms and what those outcomes are. So in 2 or so weeks, we should know more (at least with younger age groups).

 

[travelover]

I found this amazing as it seems like a fairly random sample.

Between March 22 and April 4, those hospitals screened 215 pregnant women for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), and 33 women, or 15%, tested positive. Of these who tested positive, 29 women — or nearly 14% — showed no symptoms.

https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-in-pregnant-woman-high-nyc.html

 

[Chuckanut]

That seems to be the case with influenza, which requires different vaccines for different strains.

I am not a medical expert, but I thought that past vaccines still provide some protection against this year's strain of the virus.

 

[FIREd_2015]

I found this amazing as it seems like a fairly random sample.

https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-in-pregnant-woman-high-nyc.html

The author of the article doesn't seem to understand basic math. The article says "...and 33 women, or 15%, tested positive. Of these who tested positive, 29 women — or nearly 14% — showed no symptoms..."

The relevant calculation should be 29 women out of 33 who showed no symptoms (29/33) or about 88% were asymptomatic.

 

[travelover]

The author of the article doesn't seem to understand basic math. The article says "...and 33 women, or 15%, tested positive. Of these who tested positive, 29 women — or nearly 14% — showed no symptoms..."

The relevant calculation should be 29 women out of 33 who showed no symptoms (29/33) or about 88% were asymptomatic.

I noticed that foolishness, too, but it doesn't change the outcome, which was that one in eight women in the maternity ward were Covid19 positive and 29 of the 33 were asymptomatic. Don't you find that a bit amazing if not alarming?

 

[Aerides]

I noticed that foolishness, too, but it doesn't change the outcome, which was that one in eight women in the maternity ward were Covid19 positive and 20 of the 33 were asymptomatic. Don't you find that a bit amazing if not alarming?

It's NYC so no. In my county, confirmed cases per capita is 1.5%. Our density is far less than NYC, and our testing is way behind, and still difficult to get. So if the 1.5% is buffered for all those who would get a positive but can't get tested, and all those who are low/no symptoms, then if you told me really it's 5-7% of the population for my county I wouldn't be amazed.

So, for NYC which has far more density, and far more cases known, if they really have closer to a 12-13% infection rate...eh, that probably sounds about right.

 

[FIREd_2015]

I noticed that foolishness, too, but it doesn't change the outcome, which was that one in eight women in the maternity ward were Covid19 positive and 20 of the 33 were asymptomatic. Don't you find that a bit amazing if not alarming?

Yes, if that ratio is representative of the overall population then it's going to be way more difficult to keep this under control. I believe one recommendation by the Task Force is to have people's temperatures taken before they can eat inside a restaurant. Well, if 4 out 5 people don't have any symptoms I'm not sure how taking their temperature is going to be an effective screening tool. If that many people really don't have any symptoms then we're in this for a long time or until there is an effective treatment or vaccine whichever comes first.

 

[SecretlyFI]

Just thought I’d provide my anecdotal personal experience. My 92 year old MIL resides in a long term care facility. A resident was taken to the hospital on April 5 and tested positive, so they tested all the residents and staff. On April 8 we were notified that 100% of the residents and staff tested positive.

So far, my MIL has no symptoms. Really so hard to believe, since we live in the epicenter location and most stories coming out of LTC facilities in this area are about dozens of people dying and refrigerator trucks being brought onsite as temporary morgues.

My sister is a nurse practitioner and with what she’s seeing at her hospital, she’s doubting that my MIL’s test was accurate. She’s had patients in their 20’s and 30’s on vents and dying. Her hospital has been losing over 20 patients a day and my MIL doesn’t even have a cough??

Oh and the kicker...MIL is registered with a whole body donation program. We found out from them this week that they will not take the body of someone who has had it or been exposed to it. Even if they die years later from an unrelated cause. Their body is considered contaminated, presumably forever, from this infectious disease.

So it’s too dangerous to donate, but yet she’s fine. Mind-boggling.

 

[RobbieB]

I love it!

100% positive in a tight little nursing home (as one might expect) and nobody is sick.

 

[tmm99]

I found this amazing as it seems like a fairly random sample.






https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-in-pregnant-woman-high-nyc.html

Wow, I find this quite amazing also. Granted, this was with pregnant women at NYC hospitals, but still...

 

[FIREd_2015]

...100% of the residents and staff tested positive...

If everyone is also asymptomatic or just mildly symptomatic then I would seriously question the test. If the tests are accurate then the people in the facility should pool their money and go buy some lottery tickets.

 

[tmm99]

If everyone is also asymptomatic or just mildly symptomatic then I would seriously question the test. If the tests are accurate then the people in the facility should pool their money and go buy some lottery tickets.

When they tested every passenger/crew on Diamond Princess, 45% who were positive were asymptomatic, but 1/3 of them showed an abnormality in the CT scans of their lungs, so it's possible that those folks at the LTC facility already show some abnormality (although they may not feel anything is wrong with them.). Evidently, 1/2 of those people developed serious symptoms later on, so I'd say only time will tell if they will stay asymptomatic or not...

 

[Sunset]

Yes, if that ratio is representative of the overall population then it's going to be way more difficult to keep this under control. I believe one recommendation by the Task Force is to have people's temperatures taken before they can eat inside a restaurant. Well, if 4 out 5 people don't have any symptoms I'm not sure how taking their temperature is going to be an effective screening tool. If that many people really don't have any symptoms then we're in this for a long time or until there is an effective treatment or vaccine whichever comes first.

Temperature testing is just theater for the benefit of the public, as it's not an effective screening tool, since so many asymptomatic people slip past.

 

[Turbo29]

One hundred forty six homeless persons at a Boston shelter tested positive for the coronavirus without showing any symptoms, concerning experts that the pandemic may be more wide spread than originally thought.
The Pine Street Inn was following up a small cluster of cases last week and tested 397 people to discover that 146 were confirmed to have the deadly flu-like virus, also known as COVID-19.
What was equally alarming to health officials was also learning that 100 per cent of the confirmed cases at the shelter had no symptoms.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ms-test-positive-COVID-19-Boston-shelter.html

 

[airforce1]

This video has been helpful to me to understand asymptomatic carriers, viral and also what the world will look forward to as how we recover from the pandemic.

His first video was also helpful too

 

[RetiredAt55.5]

Temperature testing is just theater for the benefit of the public, as it's not an effective screening tool, since so many asymptomatic people slip past.

FWIW, that's all the Red Cross is doing before taking platelet donations.

 

[Ready]

There may be a positive side to all of these asymptomatic people testing positive. It may suggest a sizable portion of the country has developed antibodies and is now immune.

 

[Winemaker]

There may be a positive side to all of these asymptomatic people testing positive. It may suggest a sizable portion of the country has developed antibodies and is now immune.

And it also might suggest that the virus has been here a hell of a lot earlier that January 20th, 2020.

 

[LRDave]

And it also might suggest that the virus has been here a hell of a lot earlier that January 20th, 2020.

It only suggests such to the tinfoil hat club....

 

[ivinsfan]

One hundred forty six homeless persons at a Boston shelter tested positive for the coronavirus without showing any symptoms, concerning experts that the pandemic may be more wide spread than originally thought.
The Pine Street Inn was following up a small cluster of cases last week and tested 397 people to discover that 146 were confirmed to have the deadly flu-like virus, also known as COVID-19.
What was equally alarming to health officials was also learning that 100 per cent of the confirmed cases at the shelter had no symptoms.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ms-test-positive-COVID-19-Boston-shelter.html

Stuff like this really leads me to question the results of testing. Are they accurate or just kind of accurate. 100% no symptoms in 146 homeless people who most likely are very high risk? It defies credibility, in my mind anyway.

 

[Gumby]

It only suggests such to the tinfoil hat club....

I'm not saying it was aliens . . . but it was aliens.