https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/the-health-202/2020/06/09/the-health-202-who-says-asymptomatic-people-usually-don-t-spread-coronavirus-experts-doubt-that/5ede874a88e0fa32f82355d4/ (I went incognito to see the article I was pay walled without it.)

Check out what Andy Slavitt tweeted, he had a lot of the same questions I did:

The biggest swipe from the thread is:
-they acknowledged to me directly that they can’t distinguish between asymptomatic and low-symptom people

This is what I was is confusing me - asymptomatic (have it , but don't have symptoms) vs. pre-symptomatic (have it, but symptoms will occur in the future) vs low symptomatic (have it, but don't realize they have it because they have mild symptoms the either don't notice, or mis-attribute to something like allergies.)


Link to thread: https://twitter.com/ASlavitt/status/1270135499659923458

-thread-
NEW: The WHO made a surprising announcement that asymptomatic people w COVID rarely spread it.

I’ve talked to 4 reputable scientists, the White House, and the WHO.

I believe this was an irresponsible statement even though it was based on legitimate observations. Thread here.1/

Here’s what I understand. They have a relatively small amount of contact tracing work in China where they found most people claimed to have gotten sick from someone who had symptoms.

When I discussed with scientists and doctors, each was in a bit of disbelief that this would put out. They pointed out:
-there are 4 studies which show asymptomatic spread
-people are not reliable reporters of whether they have symptoms
-by their own admission, they can’t be sure

-reporter by member states doesn’t reach a bar of rigor
-WHO said up until a week ago that people didn’t need to wear masks. They then changed their minds.

I asked— does this mean people don’t need to where masks? They said no. People should wear masks.

(When I told them this would cause people not to wear masks, they were concerned).
-what they actually technically said was that symptomatic people so most of the spreading. The majority of people have symptoms so this is not news.

-in the us, 20,000 new cases are being reported every day. Most symptomatic people are home isolating. Where are these new cases coming from? Pre- & asymptomatic people.

---HERE IT IS (EMPHASIS HANDLE'S------------
-they acknowledged to me directly that they can’t distinguish between asymptomatic and low-symptom people
----Look at the thing above--------

-if this were true there would be no spread at schools. Israelis schools just shut due to spread of CV infecting students & faculty