Any data on how long you shed Covid virus before you feel ill.

[Time2]

I'm curious if people are feeling fine and then get tested and find out they are sick.
How long do you shed virus before you feel sick.
Ask another way, Does testing put many people into quarantine x amount of days before they get sick.
What is x?

 

[DenverGuy42]

I'm curious if people are feeling fine and then get tested and find out they are sick.
How long do you shed virus before you feel sick.
Ask another way, Does testing put many people into quarantine x amount of days before they get sick.
What is x?

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/if-youve-been-exposed-to-the-coronavirus

basically - the incubation period is 3-14 days (from infection to symptom onset). You may be contagious 48-72 hours prior to symptoms. That means - you are contagious almost immediately following infection until 10 days after the symptoms dissipate.

So, you would typically be contagious prior to testing if you take the approach of "get the test when you feel sick".

And it is even more problematic for asymptomatic people. There is a group of people that will never experience outward symptoms (although it has been shown even this group can experience heart, lung and neurological damage - they just don't know they ever had covid-19) and are contagious for some amount of time.


This is why contact tracing is so very important. I'm in Colorado and they've finally released an app (https://www.addyourphone.com/) for contact tracing in CO. It uses bluetooth and touches (anonymously) other phones you come into contact with and have sufficient exposure to. If any of those phones are used to report a positive test (requires a valid test ID from a valid testing center to avoid people reporting 'fake' positives) - you are notified and can a) self isolate immediately and b) get a test pre-emptively.


Everyone should check out their state in the US to see about the availability of a contact tracing app, how to get it, how to turn it on. If you are an apple user - it usually is as simple as turning it on in your settings (it should already be there)

 

[Time2]

You answered all my questions and then some!
Thanks

 

[gerntz]

This is why contact tracing is so very important.

Per Holman Jenkins in WSJ on Halloween:

"The test-and-trace silver bullet, which epidemiologists once promoted, Dr. Fauci now admits is impractical because of a large number of asymptomatic cases."

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-other-media-blackout-11604094677?mod=opinion_featst_pos3

 

[DenverGuy42]

Per Holman Jenkins in WSJ on Halloween:

"The test-and-trace silver bullet, which epidemiologists once promoted, Dr. Fauci now admits is impractical because of a large number of asymptomatic cases."

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-other-media-blackout-11604094677?mod=opinion_featst_pos3

but it isn't personally speaking.

Many people are getting tested regularly as part of their job. So many asymptomatic cases are getting flagged.

And symptomatic cases are by and large getting tested nowadays.

Therefore, anything that can let me know that I've been exposed - even if it is not 100% - is something. More than we have now. Over 10% of Colorado (it just went live on Sunday last week - by Wednesday well over 10% of people activated it - it will be even more now).

So testing of non-symptomatic people is happening. Testing of symptomatic people is happening. Many people are starting to participate in contact tracing. It is better than not doing it by far. Far and away better.

 

[DenverGuy42]

Per Holman Jenkins in WSJ on Halloween:

"The test-and-trace silver bullet, which epidemiologists once promoted, Dr. Fauci now admits is impractical because of a large number of asymptomatic cases."

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-other-media-blackout-11604094677?mod=opinion_featst_pos3

and actually, since I couldn't read the article behind the WSJ paywall - I tried to verify Dr Fauci actually said/believes that.

And I cannot. All I can find is him promoting pooled testing (get 40 samples, test it - if all negative, that's great. If it tests positive - now go out to that group of 40 and start testing individually) and other techniques to get the amount of testing of every and anyone going. Coupled with tracing.

Do you have an actual quote from Dr Fauci - or is this just the opinion of a WSJ opinion columnist that Dr Fauci believes that?

 

[audreyh1]

First of all - please note that it is an opinion piece.

It’s also confusing, because symptomatic people get tested for various reasons - like they were exposed, work, etc. And once you know they are positive you can contact trace.

The Fauci “admit” thing links to an older Medscape article where Fauci admits that 40 to 50% of cases are asymptomatic. So I don’t get the rest of it’s there is no discussion of contact tracing.https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/937297