(CMR) Dr. Lee has clarified some statements he made about possible transmission when a person has no symptoms of COVID-19.
At Thursday's press briefing he replied to a question by Reshma Ragoonath regarding the wearing of masks and he stated that:
“If you don't have symptoms you're unlikely .. you're not likely to pass on the virus if you don't have symptoms … you won't be shedding any virus until you have symptoms to shed it.”
Other local media questioned the validity of this advice in light of emerging reports for some time ago prompting Dr. Lee to share the following statement today:
“The information and studies we are receiving on COVID-19 grow by the day, and so does the understanding. The advice that I have been giving is that shared by national public health agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control in the USA, Public Health England and the World Health Organization.
Of serious concern is the possibility of asymptomatic transmission of the virus, which would allow it to spread without us knowing from person to person. In particular, children are likely to be able to transmit the virus without any symptoms as they do not seem to be so much affected.
The Government has been increasing its measures to protect the people of Cayman by a staged reduction in travel and deterring people from gathering. These are absolute key ways to suppress the transmission of the COVID-19 causing virus, so please, do not gather together except as a household.
We will learn more about exactly how COVID-19 transmits itself as time passes. I believe that caution is the right way forward and urge the public to keep their distance from people and practice hand hygiene whilst we learn more about this disease and how best to suppress its spread.”
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