Why is Covid-19 testing badly needed?

Posted on by Jesse Santiano, M.D.

The symptoms and the course of Covid-19 are mild in the majority of the cases (about 80%). Only a small number needs admission to the hospital. If most cases are mild, why is there a need for testing? Testing can protect the at-risk group. Protect from whom?

Covid-19 cases including asymptomatic ones can spread the virus

Testing will identify the asymptomatic carriers and those with mild symptoms. Some may have symptoms but feel that they may have something else. Like an “allergy” or a “cold.”  My previous article, 5 Reasons why Covid-19 Spreads Fast,  ended with:

Someone who is an asymptomatic carrier of Covid-19 can travel anywhere and even internationally for two weeks. During that time, he can spread millions of viruses by respiratory droplets and contaminate everything he touches. The Covid-19 viruses can then survive for 9 days and infect many.

The Covid-19 virus can be expelled from the body from the respiratory tract and the intestines. Germs from a respiratory droplet or contaminated hands can stay on a smooth surface for as long as 9 days because of their stable protein shell. Anyone who touches that contaminated surface gets infected and spread it to others like vulnerable people.

Vulnerable people have high death rates

A significant problem arises when the Covid-19 infects someone with a frail constitution. Those are the elderly and ones with chronic medical issues. Diabetes, cancer, heart, and lung disease are a few.  Anyone with autoimmune conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus Erythematosis  (SLE) and multiple sclerosis are also high risk. High-risk means they have a high chance of dying if they developed Covid-19 pneumonia.

1280px-Symptoms_of_coronavirus_disease_2019_2.0.svg
Symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019

A China CDC study reported that:

    • The ≥80 age group had the highest case fatality rate of all age groups at 14.8%. The ≥ 80 age group also has the most medical problems.

 

  • Retirees had the highest case fatality rate at 5.1%,

 

 

Patients with comorbid conditions had much higher rates —

  • 5% for those with cardiovascular disease
  • 7.3% for diabetes
  • 6.3% for chronic respiratory disease
  • 6.0% for hypertension
  • 5.6% for cancer

The case fatality rate was very high for critical cases at 49 %.

 

 

 

The reason is their body cannot handle the additional stress that the body goes thru to combat the disease. More so, some may take medications like steroids that can weaken their ability to fight infection. Vulnerable people are everywhere, like nursing homes, assisted living, and retirement facilities. There may be one in your household.

What is the benefit of  Getting the Covid-19 test Done?

  • The ones who test positive without symptoms can self-quarantine and stop the spread of the germs.
  • The exposure of the vulnerable people mentioned above will be decreased.
  • Those with mild symptoms can stay at home with the instructions that if they feel they are getting worse, medical consult should be obtained immediately.
  • Once tested and identified, the sick who need hospital admission will be isolated in the hospital as they get proper medical care.
  • Infected patients in hospitals will be separated from other patients whose health are already compromised and prone to Covid-19 complications.
  • The identification of infected patients will alert doctors and nurses to wear personal protective equipment accordingly to allow them to continue to provide medical service.
  • Infected health care workers in any medical facility, including doctors’ offices and nursing homes, can be excused from work.
  • In short, testing contains the epidemic.

What happens if testing is delayed or not done? 

  1. The elderly and people with medical problems are put at a higher risk.
  2. Other hospital patients who may not be in the group above may get infected. That will prolong their hospital stay. This will lead to a slower turnover of hospital beds. Subsequently, new patients needing hospital admission may not get the required level of care.
  3. Health workers will get infected and result in short staffing and further strain medical services.
  4. Asymptomatic carriers will continue to infect many others.
  5. The persistence of the virus in the community may give time for the virus to mutate into something more infectious or lethal.
  6. Delayed testing will assure the continuation of the spread of the virus.

Testing is critical. Feel free to share. Don’t miss an article. Subscribe for free with your email. Don’t Get Sick!

Related articles:

  1. 6 Home Disinfectants for the Covid-19
  2. 5 Hand Disinfectants for Coronavirus You May not Know
  3. Coronavirus Infection Precautions
  4. 6 Ways Exercise Protects against Infections
  5. 3 Reasons Why Smokers Have Worse Covid-19 Outcomes
  6. Covid-19: Why Should Health Care Workers be Protected?
  7. Covid-19 and Pets
  8. Are Asians More Prone to Get the Covid-19?
  9. The Proper Use of a Personal Protective Equipment Against Infections
  10. Can children get infected with the Covid-19?

Image Credit: SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus By NIAID Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML), U.S. NIH – https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/novel-coronavirus-sarscov2-images, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87089605 © 2018 – 2020 Asclepiades Medicine, LLC  All Rights Reserved DrJesseSantiano.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Image credit:

Covid-19 symptoms By Mikael Häggström, M.D.- Author info- Reusing images – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=87644670