The Importance of Testing Asymptomatic Patients For COVID-19

Since the first U.S. case of COVID-19 in January, our understanding of the novel coronavirus has shifted drastically. The illness we thought was only severe for older populations has since affected thousands of individuals of all ages. What was originally a short list of symptoms has now expanded to include a variety of indicators as more cases have been studied.

In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, efforts originally focused on only testing high-risk, symptomatic patients. As we have learned more about the virus, however, it has become clear that many people infected with the novel coronoavirus never show any symptoms. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease director, Dr. Anthony Fauci, has even estimated that roughly 25 to 50% of people infected are asymptomatic. Because of this, asymptomatic testing has become much more necessary than previously anticipated. First, asymptomatic tests identify the infected, and inform them of their infection, and urge them to self isolate in order to further prevent the spread of Covid-19. Asymptomatic testing also allows for contact tracing, which helps to better monitor and prevent transmission of Covid-19. Testing more people results in more data that helps researchers and scientists better understand the virus, which then helps inform government officials on how to proceed.