Current Testing policy gives COVID-19 a Stealth Infection Vector

The data in the report, 48 with only digestive symptoms out of the 206, implies that 23.3% of the time respiratory symptoms do not present.

COVID-19 mild case Symptoms

symptoms	count	only %	all	all %
respiratory	89	43.2%	158	76.7%
both	69	33.5%	206
digestive	48	23.3%	117	56.8%
total	206	100.0%

Our current testing criteria, respiratory symptoms only, include 100°F, coughing, and shortness of breath. We do not include digestive symptoms, nor do we have tests for the digestive system (stool Viral RNA). This means that tracking on the basis of respiratory symptoms alone will not identify a contact with digestive symptoms only as an infection source. Said unknown infection source will go unidentified. These sources can account for a significant percentage of infected patients without a tracked source. Without stool testing transfer about 23.3% will be "stealthy". This also means that the actual infection rate is 130% or more of the infection rate obtained with respiratory testing only.

The original (draft) report is available free: here

Note: The following is an extract from that research report - to be published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. quoting New info:

• We describe a unique sub-group of COVID-19 patients with low severity disease marked by presence of digestive symptoms
• These patients are more likely to test positive in stool for COVID-19 RNA, to have a longer delay before viral clearance, and to experience delayed diagnosis compared to patients with respiratory symptoms but no digestive symptoms.
• In some cases, the digestive symptoms, particularly diarrhea, can be the initial presentation of COVID-19, and may only later or never present with respiratory symptoms or fever.
• These data emphasize that patients with new-onset digestive symptoms after a possible COVID-19 contact should be suspected for the illness, even in the absence of cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or fever.

If we are to contain this coronavirus we must test for digestive system infection of all mild cases without respiratory symptoms, COVID-19 antibodies, as well as respiratory system infection, and test again. We won't be able to safely resume pre-COVID-19 activities until we have cures and vaccines - forecast at about a year.

Because the virus exhibits "stealthy" infection vectors, infects different systems, and has highly variable symptoms, including no symptoms at all, testing can not reliably detect all infections unless 100% of the population are tested. If isolation and social distance are relaxed, the disease will pop-up in variable areas with no traceable source due to one stealth infection 23.3% or two stealthy infections in a row 5.4%.

Isolation and containment should not be relaxed.

RALPH KENYON
EXTRAPOLATOR

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Ralph E Kenyon Jr.
191 White Oaks Road
Williamstown, MA 01267