2025.02.03

COVID-19 – Strength of Infectiousness and Highly Contagious Individuals (Super Spreaders)

 

 

For those who prefer reading the message↓↓

 

 

 

Q: If alcohol-based disinfectants are in short supply, can hypochlorous acid be used as a substitute for infection prevention?

 

Alcohol is the primary disinfectant used, but rather than sodium hypochlorite, hypochlorous acid water, which is currently used for deodorization and sterilization, is considered highly effective. Therefore, if alcohol becomes unavailable, using hypochlorous acid water is a very effective alternative.

 

 

Q: Characteristics of individuals who are less or more likely to spread COVID-19

 

It is unclear who is less likely to spread the virus, but there are individuals who are more likely to spread it. For example, a 10-year-old child may have no symptoms—no cough or fever—but when a CT scan is performed, interstitial pneumonia is found in their lungs. Such individuals can spread the virus extensively.

 

Moreover, since they are energetic and move around actively, they unknowingly infect many people around them. These individuals are referred to as “super spreaders.” There was a case in Singapore where a single British individual became infected, returned to the UK, and ended up spreading the virus to over 20 people. Such individuals can be considered highly contagious.

 

 

Q: Differences in infectiousness among viruses

 

The infectiousness of viruses varies. Among the coronaviruses, SARS and MERS had extremely high fatality rates, but their infectiousness was relatively low. As a result, both have almost disappeared. The main issue with the COVID-19 virus is its exceptionally high infectiousness.

 

 

Q: Was the state of emergency declared due to the strong infectiousness of COVID-19?

 

A state of emergency has never been declared for influenza. However, one was declared for COVID-19.

 

One of the reasons is that although the Chinese government was aware of the disease early on, they did not report it. During the Lunar New Year celebrations in Wuhan, large gatherings led to explosive spread, resulting in many severe cases, which created widespread fear. This led to the perception that contracting COVID-19 inevitably results in severe illness and death.

 

In reality, about 80% of those infected with COVID-19 show no symptoms. Around 20% develop symptoms, but the percentage of those who develop severe symptoms and die is less than 1%, often below 0.X%. Recent findings indicate that excessive fear is unwarranted.

 

 

 

※ The views expressed in this video and text reflect the personal opinions of Dr. Haruhiko Inubo, Special Appointment Professor at Gifu University’s Antioxidant Research Division, and do not represent the official stance of any affiliated institution.