The details get a bit tangled and to my dismay not all data are made available, but in short the @WHO statement pertains to "truly asymptomatic" people who never show classic symptoms, not to pre-symptomatic people who we know can transmit days before showing symptoms.
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Even if truly asymptomatic spread is very rare, pre-symptomatic transmission is likely to be important. We still need to wear masks and distance to avoid spreading the virus during this period, probably concentrated in days 3-6 after infection.
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Nor am I convinced by the data that
@WHO provide as evidence that asymptomatic transmission is very rare. Their relevant quote is below. This is thin evidence for such a policy recommendation. The other data they allude to have not been released to the best of my knowledge.pic.twitter.com/u7vXkuXD6j
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What we've ended up with here is public health by press release (making recommendations without providing the underlying data and analysis) coupled with poor communications (failing to clearly explain that they are not talking about pre-symptomatic transmission) on
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CNBC then took that confusing report, read too much into it, and slapped on a totally incorrect and sensationalist headline—"Coronavirus patients without symptoms aren’t driving the spread of the virus, the WHO says". The result is the confusion we are seeing around this today.
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Additional technical detail:https://twitter.com/DiseaseEcology/status/1270110221071839232 …
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Wait, they're advertising this shit? https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/27/world/europe/coronavirus-spread-asymptomatic.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article …pic.twitter.com/76LFHSpAUk
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So we selectively listen to the
@WHO again if it helps stonks go up? -
@dow_stonks STONKS!
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What specifically do you find 'misleading?' The article cites the WHO and states asymptomatic spread is possible but 'very rare.' It says nowhere in the article that people should stop wearing masks...
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The headline is straight-up false. "Patients without symptoms" include pre-symptomatic patients, who do contribute to spread according to the WHO. WHO even talks about asymptomatic patients contributing to spread.pic.twitter.com/b0Z0xwIQqu
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