Most cases of coronavirus are spread by people without symptoms, CDC now says

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This is one of the main reasons the use of masks is so important, the CDC said.

“Most SARS-CoV-2 infections are spread by people without symptoms,” the agency said in a section of its website devoted to explaining the science of using masks to control the spread of the virus. .

“The CDC and others estimate that more than 50% of all infections are transmitted by people who do not have symptoms,” he added in the guide released Friday.

“This means that at least half of new infections come from people who probably don’t know they are infectious to others.”

According to the CDC, 24% of people who pass the virus to others never develop symptoms and 35% were pre-symptomatic. He also said that 41% had infected other people while experiencing symptoms.

The peak of infectivity occurs five days after infection, the agency said on the website. “With these assumptions, 59% of infections would be transmitted in the absence of symptoms, but could range from 51% to 70% if the fraction of asymptomatic infections were 24% to 30% and the peak of infectivity varied from 4 to 6 days.

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He cited a study published in July in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and unpublished CDC data. Previously, the health organization did not characterize the percentage of infections transmitted by asymptomatic people.

“The infection is spread primarily through exposure to respiratory droplets exhaled by infected people when they breathe, talk, cough, sneeze or sing,” the agency added.

It also indicates that people spit out more droplets when they speak or sing louder or when they exert more effort.

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The CDC said studies have shown that 40 to 45% of those infected never develop symptoms.

“Among people who develop symptomatic disease, the risk of transmission peaks in the days just before the onset of symptoms (presymptomatic infection) and for a few days afterward.

“As a result, the number of infections transmitted peaks when virus levels reach their peak,” the agency noted.

So people spread the virus when they have no idea they are infected.

Masks can prevent this spread.

Sheet masks can prevent people from exhaling the small balls of mucus or saliva that carry the virus. These particles can fly directly onto others, fall on surfaces to be captured, or linger in the air – especially in closed rooms.

The CDC also said the masks can help prevent people from inhaling the droplets, large and small, that carry the virus.

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