Snopes v. Infodemic

Snopes.com is a website that fact checks internet misinformation. It is a great resource. Trustworthy without any political agenda.  I ran across this recent article about the coronavirus. In this case, they are investigating an alleged study. This specific study is misinterpreted by conspiracy minded people. Then critics of safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 spread the misinformation online without context. These people believe that that the study found people who tested positive for the virus but did not show symptoms were not contagious. However, this is not what the study found. The researchers were not looking at that data.

“But here’s a widely misrepresented element of the research: The studies to which the scientists referred did not look at how the virus spreads from person to person in public settings. Rather, the research interrogated how, or to what severity, members of the same household pass the virus to each other.”

The claim that asymptomatic or presymptomatic patient cannot or did not pass the virus on is clearly false according to the study. The research proved that a number of people caught the virus from patients without symptoms. The report read:

However, presymptomatic transmission does occur, with some studies reporting the timing of peak infectiousness at approximately the period of symptom onset.

Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control reported on Nov. 20 that scientists estimated asymptomatic or presymptomatic patients accounted for more than 50% of the virus’ transmissions.

Please wear a mask. Stay safe.

As governments fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Snopes is fighting an “infodemic” of rumors and misinformation, and you can help. Read our coronavirus fact checks. Submit any questionable rumors and “advice” you encounter. Become a Founding Member to help us hire more fact-checkers. And, please, follow the CDC or WHO for guidance on protecting your community from the disease.