Asymptomatic Carrier: What does it mean for Covid-19?

The novel coronavirus is rapidly spreading globally and has put the entire world on standby. Despite following strict measures of hand washing and social distancing, the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19 has been impossible to contain. The majority of people infected by coronavirus will develop mild to moderate respiratory illness which will usually recover without any treatment. However, this disease can cause serious complications in elderly people and people with underlying medical problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and cancer.

With time, we are learning more about the virus as it continues to evolve. Earlier it was thought that only people showing symptoms such as cough, high fever, or breathing difficulty was possibly infected by SARS-CoV-2 and could spread the disease through contact. However, recent studies have proven this wrong. Even people showing no symptoms may spread the virus through contact transmission. Hence, while we have to maintain a safe distance from people showing flu-like symptoms, we also have to be aware that asymptomatic carriers can spread the disease. At times like this, it is getting unsafe to work in offices and go to places like shopping malls, restaurants. The invisible threat of Covid 19 looms large.

Here are a few things that are now known about asymptomatic COVID-19 carriers:

1. Asymptomatic Cases Are Everywhere

According to recent analysis done by the health ministry, it was concluded that 80 per cent of Indian COVID-19 patients in the country are asymptomatic or have shown very mild symptoms over the past few months. In Sero-survey studies done at offices, stations, malls and other hospitals in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and now Andhra Pradesh, the results show that majority of the people who were surveyed had some antibodies in their system, highlighting that they had come in contact with the virus at some point of time without their knowledge and inadvertently had been super-spreaders of Covid 19.

2. Asymptomatic Carriers Include People of All Ages

According to recent studies, it is being concluded that children also seem to play a much bigger role in the silent spread of COVID-19 than originally thought. Recent studies and data of coronavirus show that asymptomatic patients include people of all ages. WHO Western Pacific regional director, Takeshi Kasai in a virtual press briefing for the month of August said, “The epidemic is changing. People in their 20s, 30s and 40s are increasingly driving the spread. Many are unaware they are infected. This increases the risk of spillover to the more vulnerable people out there.”

3. Asymptomatic Patients Carry A Lot of Virus In Their Bodies

Recently in a study of over 200 patients with SARS-CoV-2 virus in Telangana, Indian scientists have observed a higher association between asymptomatic COVID-19 cases and viral load or the amount of virus in an infected person’s bodily fluid, The researchers, including those from the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) in Hyderabad, advise testing asymptomatic primary and secondary contacts followed by surveillance now as an essential protocol in India’s fight against coronavirus. Apart from this study, even a recent study from South Korea found that asymptomatic and symptomatic people carry a similar viral load in their bodies, which is the amount of virus located in throats and noses that indicate asymptomatic people could potentially spread the coronavirus just as readily as those with symptoms. How many people don’t experience any symptoms after becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2? And what is their role in spreading COVID-19? These have been key questions since the beginning of the pandemic.

Can We Break The Chain?

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers(ASHRAE) recommends that building managers, institutions, offices and owners consider UVGI (ultraviolet germicidal irradiation) to reduce the impact of novel coronavirus. They also recognize the importance of protecting occupants from radiation, particularly in high-risk spaces such as offices, factories, shopping malls, food courts and hospitals. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) is a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet (ultraviolet C or UV-C) light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellular functions. UVGI is used in a variety of applications, such as food, air, and water purification.