How do I know if I’m a silent carrier of COVID-19?
Anika H. Ahmed, MD
Anyone can be a silent carrier of COVID-19. That can be confirmed with testing. But what does it mean? A silent carrier is a person who will test positive for SARs-CoV-2 (COVID-19) but has no clinical symptoms of COVID-19. With the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe, everyone, especially people travelling to highly infective areas or in close proximity of patients of COVID-19, must assume that they are silent carriers.
Statistics collected during the COVID-19 pandemic by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (as stated by Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director NIAID, on April 5, 2020) indicate that silent carriers are between 25 and 50% of those infected. Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control noted in a case study of nursing homes in King County, Washington that out of 23 positive residents, 13 were silent carriers. Moreover, 50% of those tested aboard the Diamond Princess Cruise ship were silent carriers, although 18% became symptomatic later and developed typical COVID-19 clinical symptoms.
It is an established fact that COVID-19 is spread through droplet infection. Coronavirus-laden droplets must transfer from the nose or mouth of an infective, positive COVID-19 person through coughing, sneezing, or talking, to the nose, mouth, or eyes of another person and either make that person become sick or a silent carrier of Coronavirus.
All silent carriers fall into one of two categories: asymptomatic and presymptomatic. The common thing between asymptomatic and presymptomatic is that both may not show any clinical signs of COVID-19 at the time of testing. However, all presymptomatic may develop clinical signs of COVID-19 later, sometime after testing. This is why it is crucial for all carriers of COVID-19 to be on the watch for any of the typical clinical signs of SARS-CoV-2 infection. One easy way is close monitoring of body temperature and maintaining a body temperature chart. It can be done easily at home with a reliable thermometer and it is usually the first question that any health care worker will ask for, preferably on a telemedicine platform.
Whether a person is asymptomatic or pre-symptomatic, it must be realized that both are infected with SARSs-CoV-2 and can spread the disease and be a potential threat to the health of all surrounding individuals in close proximity with them. It is important that all silent carriers, once confirmed through testing, must practice social distancing, self- quarantine, frequent washing of hands with soap and water and wearing a mask. These helps contain the infective droplets and reduce the risk of spreading the virus to others, especially in closed public spaces. Since testing is not readily available to everyone, one must assume, even with no clinical symptoms, that one is a silent carrier and capable of infecting others. Practicing caution can indeed help control the COVID-19 pandemic most effectively and efficiently.