Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #inoculum
Most recents (3)
Wanted to talk to you about our #inoculum hypothesis and may have particular relevance in the vaccine era. Our idea was -after seeing that mitigation procedures like masks didn't always block transmission especially if just cloth or plain surgical, but seemed associated with less
severe disease and more asymptomatic infection - was that if you are exposed to less viral inoculum or dose, more likely to get mild disease. We first explored this hypothesis here and then, given that even asymptomatic or mild infection triggered T cells,
link.springer.com/article/10.100…
link.springer.com/article/10.100…
we hypothesized that anything that would drive the infection towards asymptomatic or mild (if unlucky enough to be exposed) while awaiting a vaccine was helpful -e.g. nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) like masks nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
Oh dear. I didn't read the post that had incited such confusion on here from a fellow scientist because I think polemics against fellow scientists is unmerited but I am beginning to get a hint that she slandered me (which happened before on a hypothesis our group had that reduced
viral #inoculum reduces severity of disease). I will take a small break from Twitter now as I have so much work. But please remember this. Scientists usually write academically and their "fame" is very circumscribed within academic circles & they usually don't get listened to
by anyone else! So, it is tempting and exciting to become "famous" in a pandemic and be listened to by so many. And any scientist right now is as lonely and miserable as anyone else during COVID-19 because we are all human and connection is a part of human existence. So, that
Asymptomatic infection with #COVID19 is a problem since it can be spread when you are well so masks prevent that. The reason asymptomatic infection is a good thing is that not having symptoms and not getting sick is good!
washingtonpost.com/health/2020/08…
washingtonpost.com/health/2020/08…
So the ? becomes how do we increase the rate of asymptomatic infection with #COVID19 or how do we decrease its morbidity? One way is to wear masks which likely reduces viral #inoculum. A 2nd way is having cross-reactive T-cells from other coronaviruses (though can't control that)
A 3rd way may be being vaccinated for other infections as suggested by Dr. Andrew Badley. In my opinion, reducing morbidity is just as important than tracking cases as high contagious potential of this virus may mean contact tracing not possible. So focus on reducing inoculum.
