New Human Challenge Trial Reveals Covid Superspreaders In Action
11% of the participants emitted 86% of the total airborne virus.
The ubiquitous SARS-CoV-2, the COVID-19 virus, continues to perplex scientists and laymen alike. Recent scientific endeavors on SARS-CoV-2 transmission have shed more light on the ‘superspreaders’ phenomenon.
A term bandied about frequently in pandemic-related discourse, superspreaders are individuals who, albeit a minor proportion, can potentially infect large groups.
According to a study published on 6th June 2023 in Lancet Microbe, these superspreaders exist. The results from this ‘challenge study’, although controversial, present vital answers on COVID-19 spread and its variables.
Conducted by a group of scientists from Imperial College London and its partners, the study intentionally infected 34 healthy, young individuals with the virus. The participants were kept under close scrutiny in the confines of a hospital room for at least 14 days post-infection, allowing researchers to minutely observe the virus’s course of infection. The daily tests included measuring viral levels in participants’ noses and throats, the air, and on various surfaces within the rooms.
