What is Asymptomatic infection and how to prevent?

2020-04-12

The world now are focusing on Coroavirus outbreak, and keeping eyes on the situation of each countries, especially USA, and Europe. Yes, it’s right, almost all government now are badly battered with preventing spread of virus, and treating the infections of COVID-19. How about asymptomatic infection of coronavirus? Who knows. I guess it may be forgotten by most. And most people have no good understand of it, as they had no more knowledge of COVID-19 before it as detected around .

What is Asymptomatic Infection?

Wikipedia defines it as:

In medicine, a disease is considered asymptomatic if a patient is a carrier for a disease or infection but experiences no symptoms. A condition might be asymptomatic if it fails to show the noticeable symptoms with which it is usually associated. Asymptomatic infections are also called subclinical infections. Other diseases (such as mental illnesses) might be considered subclinical if they present some but not all of the symptoms required for a clinical diagnosis. The term clinically silent is also used.

Medical Definition of Asymptomatic infection from MedicineNet.com says:

An infection without symptoms. Also known as inapparent or subclinical infection.

In a word, people is a disease carrier or infection, but without any symptoms. But in some conditions those people may spread the disease/virus to the others who have close contact with them by breathing same air in small/close space, touching, or anything else which could be a disease/virus spread carrier.

So, it is very important for anyone to know and understand asymptomatic infection currently in the situation of Coronavirus world wide outbreak, because:

It may develop symptoms later and so require watch and wait or early treatment.
It may resolve itself or become benign.
It is required that a person undergoes treatment so it does not cause later medical problems.
Be alert to possible problems.
The affected person may be infectious and unknowingly spread the infection to others

For Coronavirus (COVID-19) asymptomatic infections, the most way of virus spread is Droplets and Touching. So what is “touching spread”? Touching here is to touch any things (including Secretions and Excrement) which was touched or used by infected patient with or without apparent symptoms. The virus could irrupt into the body very quickly if mouth, nose or eyes (Ocular mucosa) is touched.

How to prevent be infected by asymptomatic infections?

In this case, people do not know the one he is facing is asymptomatic infection or not, how will people do to protect himself/herself?

- Make sure yourself is healthy or asymptomatic infection.

Everyone in the world with COVID-19 pandemic must go to nearby hospital or COVID-19 diagnose service center to do test. It is very important because you dont want be infected by the others, and you’d better not be the one to infect the others. Right?

- Keep a bigger space than before when facing and talking to the others.

Said by Expert that the safe distance is 1.5m. Keeping this distance, the droplets will be not able spread. To keep a safe distance, do not stay in a small and limit room/space with many people. And do not take part in any party, convocation and any activities with lots of people together.

- Self Protections.

As discussed, washing hand timely, sterilizing the room, washing and sterilize those touched by others and staying home. The most important is to ware mask when have to go outside. In most Europe country, the culture is not to ware mask, for it is not polite enough, and only patient need mask. Okay, it is right, but there may be many Coronavirus asymptomatic infection around you, so take care. Otherwise, why there are so many COVID-19 patient in the hospital, and the confirmed number are growing up quickly every day? Life is much more important.

WHO and CDC also gave more suggestions about how to protect, check for more.

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