Misunderstanding asymptomatic spread

This assumption has thus far, not been demonstrated within the available scientific evidence.

A review of all the published meta-analyses on asymptomatic transmission reveals the same few studies have been recycled repeatedly. On deeper inspection, the evidence is of poor quality.

The Government’s claim that one in three people could have the virus has been shown to be inconsistent with the ONS data on the prevalence of disease in society and the sole aim of this messaging appears to have been to generate fear and promote compliance with Government restrictions.

These people had no history of a COVID-19 diagnosis or had any clinical symptoms at the time of PRC testing but received a positive result. The researchers found no ‘viable virus’ in cultures from asymptomatic samples and none of the 300 people testing positive passed the virus on to anybody else.

The absence of strong evidence that asymptomatic people are a driver of transmission is a good reason for pausing the rollout of mass testing in schools, universities and communities.

It also calls into question restrictions placed on healthy people who are currently deemed sick until proven healthy. Are these people really a risk to others and should we really continue to advise people to ‘act like you’ve got it’?