Asymptomatic COVID-19: Keeping Your Community Safe
3 Minutes
Team Curative
Jul 28, 2021
Can you be infected with COVID-19 and display no symptoms? Many studies say yes. An individual currently infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus and without displaying COVID-19 symptoms is referred to as asymptomatic. This page provides an overview of asymptomatic COVID and answers some key questions surrounding it including:
How do I know if I have an asymptomatic case of COVID-19?
Can I spread COVID-19 if I am asymptomatic?
What guidelines should I follow if I find out I am asymptomatic with a positive COVID-19 test ?
How can you work to keep your community safe?
What Being Asymptomatic Means for You
Asymptomatic means you do not display symptoms, if any symptoms at all of an illness. Therefore, when you are asymptomatic, you will test positive for COVID-19, but you may not feel sick/experience any COVID-19 symptoms.
Asymptomatic vs. Presymptomatic COVID
According to the CDC, if you’re presymptomatic, that means you are experiencing a normal case of COVID-19—you just haven’t started showing symptoms quite yet.Click here to see a study from the CDC on asymptomatic and presymptomatic COVID-19 patients.
If You’re Asymptomatic, Can You Spread COVID-19?
Whether one is showing symptoms or not, it is important to remember that “anyone who has been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, regardless of age, can be contagious and spread the infection to others starting 48 hours (or 2 days) before the person has any symptoms or tests positive,” said Jasmine Reed, a CDC spokeswoman, when talking with USA Today.Studies have been conducted in an attempt to determine the impact of asymptomatic patients. A study from the University of Minnesota and a study from UChicago Medicine both looked at how much asymptomatic patients spread COVID-19.
How Your Community Can Fight Asymptomatic COVID
According to the CDC, vaccinations and testing for COVID-19 can be essential in interrupting the transmission of the virus.Click here to find a COVID-19 testing center near you.According to the CDC, fully vaccinated individuals are less likely to get infected with COVID-19 and appear to be less likely to spread it to others if they are infected. Click here to find a COVID-19 vaccination center near you.If you think you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, follow the CDC guidelines to work toward getting better and reduce the chance of spreading it to others.By staying vigilant against all forms of COVID-19—both symptomatic and asymptomatic—we can all do our parts to help end the pandemic.
