MISCARRIAGE.
>> TEIGEN AND LEGEND ALSO HAVE A DAUGHTER LUNA AND A SON MILES.
WE ARE JOINED NOW BY DR. TODD ELLERIN, DIRECTOR OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES AT SOUTH SHORE HEALTH TO TALK ABOUT COVID-19.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR IN -- YOUR INSIGHT AND YOUR TIME.
LOSS OF SMELL HAS BEEN CONSIDERED ONE POSSIBLE SYMPTOM OF COVID-19.
BUT NOW RESEARCHERS IN BRITAIN SAY IT COULD BE A VERY RELIABLE AND HIGH INDICATION OF INFECTION.
AND THAT ANYONE WITH LOSS OF SMELL OR TASTE SHOULD SELF-QUARANTINE, EVEN IF THE ARE NO OTHER SYMPTOMS.
WHY IS THIS TIED TO WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY A RESPIRATORY DISEASE?
>> THIS MAKES SENSE, MARIA.
THEY LOOKED AT OVER 500 PATIENTS IN LONDON THAT HAD AN ACUTE LOSS OF SMELL OR TASTE AND FOUND THAT 80% HAD ANTIBODIES TO COVID-19.
I THINK THAT’S IMPORTANT.
THE VIRUS -- WE DON’T THINK IT IMPACTS THE SENSORY CELLS IN TH NOSE.
WE THINK IT INFECTS THE SUPPORT CELLS.
THAT MAY BE GOOD NEWS IN THAT MANY PATIENTS DO HAVE A RETURN OF SMELL.
WHEN WE SAY THE NOSE KNOWS, IF YOU LOSE SMELL, YOU DO WANT TO ISOLATE AND GET TESTED.
>> THE LARGEST STUDY YET OF CONTACT TRACING IS POINTING TO CHILDREN AS PRIMARY SPREADERS OF THE VIRUS.
TELL US ABOUT THE EVIDENCE THAT THEY COULD BE SUPER-SPREADERS?
>> THIS WAS A VERY LARGE STUDY DONE THAT LOOKED AT OVER 85 THOUSAND PATIENTS WHO HAD COVID-19.
IT LOOKED AT NEARLY 600,000 OF THEIR CLOSE CONTACTS.
IT’S VERY INTERESTING.
CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS MADE UP ABOUT A THIRD OF THOSE CASES.
IN THIS CASE, IT LOOKS LIKE CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS WERE POTENTIALLY SUPERSPREADERS.
>> DOES THIS GO BACK TO WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR A WHILE?
MASKS INDOORS, TO?
>> WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND TRANSMISSION.
THE STUDY SHOWED THAT CHILDREN TRANSMIT TO CHILDREN AND OLDER ADULTS TRANSMIT TO OLDER ADULTS.
THE OTHER THING THAT IS FASCINATING ABOUT THIS STORY IS THAT IT TALKED ABOUT INFECTED A LARGE GROUP.
70% OF POSITIVE PATIENTS DID NOT IN FACT ANYONE.
SO SUPER SPREADING IS VERY UNUSUAL.
WE DON’T SEE IT WITH INFLUENZA.
IT’S IMPORTANT KNOW WHO THE SUPERSPREADERS ARE SO WE CAN ISOLATE THEM.
>> SOME RESEARCHERS NOW THINK SOMETHING HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED WITH COVID-19 THAT COULD EXPLA THE INCONSISTENCIES WORLDWIDE WITH OUTBREAKS AND WHY THE VIRUS SPREADS IN ONE SITUATION, BUT
NOT ANOTHER.
AND THAT INVOLVES DISPERSION.
>> THERE IS A FANCY WORD THAT MEANS IT’S NOT PREDICTABLE.
WITH INFLUEN, IT MEANS THE EPIDEMIC IS ON THE RISE.
FOR EVERY PERSON THAT’S INFECTE WITH INFLUENZA, ABOUT 30 OTHER PEOPLE GET INFECTED.
WITH COVID-19, IT’S UNPREDICTABLE.
WE DON’T KNOW WHO THE SUPERSPREADERS ARE.
THE PATIENT MAY HAVE MORE VIRUS OR BE ABLE TO EMIT MORE.
WE DO THINK A LOT OF THESE SUPER SPREADING EVENTS OCCUR INDOORS.
AND ADDITION, WE THINK VENTILATION IS VERY IMPORTAN