tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post7002584056924032487..comments2024-03-27T14:50:47.345-04:00Comments on <center>Sandwalk</center>: Asymptomatic and presymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2Larry Moranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756598746605455848noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-38826023316997915652021-05-06T23:17:23.034-04:002021-05-06T23:17:23.034-04:00I think you're not quite right about the major...I think you're not quite right about the majority of Americans and the current federal government position. The current federal government position is meant to encourage progress toward herd immunity. There is unfortunately a dedicated minority that is likely large enough to prevent herd immunity from happening, which is a subject of some despair and outrage among the majority.judmarchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03111006189037693272noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-69003958930505326442021-04-28T20:01:58.026-04:002021-04-28T20:01:58.026-04:00I worked in COVID testing lab for a few months ear...I worked in COVID testing lab for a few months early in the pandemic, and from the anecdotal evidence I saw there are definitely asymptomatic carriers and spreaders. We did surveillance testing of selected groups, and we found individuals who were asymptomatic but had viral titers the same as or even higher than people who had symptoms. You can't get very accurate viral titers from the NP swabs we were using, but we were seeing 10 fold higher titers (by RT-PCR) in some asymptomatic carriers compared to sick individuals.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09481645265615126897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-983838660438304142021-04-28T11:11:50.254-04:002021-04-28T11:11:50.254-04:00I agree with your decision. It's interesting t...I agree with your decision. It's interesting that there seems to be a significant difference in attitude between Canadians and Americans. (I don't know about other countries.) <br /><br />Our government in Canada is telling its citizens (in TV ads) to maintain social distancing and wear a mask even if you're vaccinated because we're all in this together and we won't beat the pandemic until we achieve herd immunity. It's an argument based on social responsibility and solidarity.<br /><br />The American government is telling its citizens that you can be released from the "burden" of social responsibility as soon as you are fully vaccinated. The American view seems to be that individual rights have been restricted during the pandemic but individuals can be rewarded by getting them back as soon as they are vaccinated. It's an argument based on the rights of the individual taking precedence over collective behavior. <br /><br />We always knew about this difference - socialized medicine is another example - but it's quite interesting to see it play out in real time. Our Canadian scientists are saying that you should maintain social distancing after getting vaccinated while American scientists are saying the opposite. It shows you that the correct "science" isn't as obvious as you think. Larry Moranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05756598746605455848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-51383838231680581432021-04-28T08:25:12.924-04:002021-04-28T08:25:12.924-04:00I am fully vaccinated, but I still wear a mask whe...I am fully vaccinated, but I still wear a mask when out and about around people so that I don't look like one of those #$$#@ anti-maskers. There is also that ~ 5% chance of break-through infection where I could still get the virus. Mark Sturtevanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05846892642161763103noreply@blogger.com