Common myths about Covid – debunked | Coronavirus

I don’t have any signs, so even when I’ve Covid I received’t give it to anybody else

Fallacious. Individuals who by no means get signs from Covid are much less infectious than individuals who get signs, however they will nonetheless have excessive viral masses and might move on the virus. And the height infectiousness in those that do develop signs is definitely the day or two earlier than they begin feeling unwell.

As a result of individuals who really feel superb are much more more likely to be out and about than those that are feeling unwell, individuals who have Covid both with out signs or earlier than they get signs contribute quite a bit to unfold. One research estimated individuals with out signs are answerable for greater than half of recent infections.

Don’t assume that so long as you are feeling superb you don’t pose a threat to others. You do!

I received’t decide up or transmit the virus as a result of I’m absolutely vaccinated

This isn’t true. There have been loads of documented circumstances of absolutely vaccinated individuals getting Covid, and whereas the overwhelming majority haven’t wanted hospital, many – corresponding to Andrew Marr, as an example – have nonetheless felt actually tough for a couple of weeks. We even have proof that vaccinated individuals can transmit the virus to one another from research of healthcare staff in India and Vietnam.

The vaccines are extremely good at defending you from getting severely unwell however much less good at stopping you from getting contaminated. Knowledge from the Imperial REACT research in England means that vaccines are someplace between 50% and 60% efficient at stopping an infection (no matter whether or not you get signs).

Within the early phases of an infection, current information suggests, vaccinated individuals have as excessive viral masses as unvaccinated contaminated individuals, however vaccinated individuals then clear the virus quicker.

Vaccination helps stop each an infection and transmission, but it surely isn’t good and also you actually can’t assume that you may’t get sick or that you may’t infect others.

I’ve had Covid already, so I don’t want the vaccine

Having had Covid does offer you affordable safety from being contaminated once more, but it surely’s not so good as the safety you get from being vaccinated. Immunity from vaccination lasts longer and is extra strong to new variants. If you happen to’ve already had Covid then vaccination offers your present immunity an additional sturdy increase.

One of the best immunity we see now’s in people who find themselves absolutely vaccinated after having had Covid. If you happen to’ve just lately had Covid, nonetheless, it’s essential wait 28 days after testing optimistic earlier than getting vaccinated.

I’ve a great immune system so I don’t want the vaccine

For certain having a great immune system is best than having a nasty one, however beforehand wholesome individuals can nonetheless get very sick with Covid, together with ending up in hospital and dying. We additionally know that someplace between 10% and 30% of adults can find yourself with lengthy Covid, even with delicate preliminary sickness.

And it’s not nearly you. You would possibly properly get Covid and recover from it with no drawback, and even don’t have any signs in any respect, however who have you ever contaminated? We will all come into contact with weak individuals within the grocery store, on public transport, visiting household or on the pub. We owe it to them to attempt to keep away from getting contaminated ourselves.

Youngsters are superb in the event that they get Covid

Youngsters are at a lot decrease threat of getting severely unwell or getting lengthy Covid than adults, however can nonetheless achieve this. In England, about one in 200 children with a confirmed case of Covid are hospitalised. Youngsters can even develop what is known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome a couple of weeks after catching Covid, which might be very severe and require intensive care. That is very uncommon, affecting about 30 kids per 100,000 kids who get Covid.

Precisely what number of kids go on to develop lengthy Covid with persistent signs continues to be being investigated, with totally different research giving estimates starting from 2% to eight%. These are decrease charges than adults, however in addition they aren’t zero, and with ongoing excessive infections in kids for the foreseeable future (particularly as they continue to be unvaccinated and return to high school), even 2% of a big quantity is sort of excessive.

Since 19 April there have been greater than 420,000 circumstances in 0- to 19-year-olds within the UK and greater than 2,000 hospital admissions in kids aged 0-17 with Covid.

Masks don’t work

We now know that Covid is usually airborne and unfold by individuals respiration, speaking, shouting and singing. Masks are under no circumstances good, however they do cease a lot of your breath hitting another person’s face when you’re interacting with them.

We put on masks primarily to guard others from our breath quite than to guard ourselves from others. If you wish to defend each others and your self, you want a purchase a higher-quality masks that matches very well. One of the best masks are N95, FFP2 or FFP3 ones, which have been proven to be extra protecting.

A current research has proven {that a} excessive proportion of individuals sporting masks is related to a discount of about 20% in total inhabitants transmission charges, a major quantity.

This wave would be the final …

Within the UK there have been headlines calling every of the earlier waves the final, they usually have been unsuitable. The federal government says issues are unpredictable and lots of consultants anticipate infections to rise once more as we go into autumn and winter.

As a result of infections are unlikely to fall to a low degree earlier than the subsequent surge, you can argue that it’s all a part of the identical wave, however the chances are we’re in a world of excessive circumstances for a number of months but. Fairly how excessive, how lengthy and the way bumpy the experience can be stays to be seen.

Lastly, if a brand new variant comes alongside that’s extra transmissible than Delta or higher at infecting vaccinated individuals, that may change the sport as soon as once more, simply as Delta did in Might and Alpha did final December. On this state of affairs, we will surely have one other, much more extreme wave.

We don’t understand how possible this, however so long as Covid stays prevalent globally, it will likely be a chance for months and probably years into the long run. This is the reason we will’t undoubtedly say that is the final wave and why it’s so vital to assist all of the world get vaccinated.

Christina Pagel is director of UCL’s Scientific Operational Analysis Unit, which applies superior analytical strategies to issues in healthcare