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Salem Reporter turned to various experts to find out answers to questions from readers ranging from how many people are asymptomatic to who can get tested. The Marion County Health Department, Oregon Health Authority and Salem Health all participated by responding to the community’s questions. We are featuring a question a day to share the information.
Q: I’d like to know if a person who has COVID but no symptoms is contagious?
A: First, it is important to note that recent studies have shown COVID-19 can cause a wide range of symptoms — not just cough or shortness of breath. It can cause nausea, diarrhea, loss of sense of smell or taste, fatigue, headache, cough, shortness of breath, fever and/or chills. It is important to see your doctor if you have any symptoms that are unusual for you and consider being tested for COVID-19. That being said, research also shows people can be contagious during the pre-symptomatic period, before symptoms appear. This reinforces the importance of community interventions such as physical distancing, use of face coverings in public and frequent hand washing to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission and slow the spread of COVID-19
– Jasmin Chaudhary, MD AMS/infection prevention medical director, Salem Health
DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? If we have an answer already, we’ll send it along. If not, we’ll see if we can find an expert to answer your question. Email your question to: [email protected].
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