To me the most logical explanation for this sort of thing is simply that viruses can be present in some people for long periods without causing illness or contagion.
Some viruses are well known for their ability to go "dormant" and reappear later in life, but I would guess that most viruses can do this to some extent in certain people or in certain circumstances. There are billions of cells and billions of viruses, and all it takes is for some virus somewhere to get interrupted in its replication cycle such that it persists infinitely within a living cell.
If this is true, then no amount of testing or quarantine will ever guarantee that someone is entirely virus-free.
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branchandroot
Re: Looking Back on Covid
Date: 2023-02-09 05:24 am (UTC)Some viruses are well known for their ability to go "dormant" and reappear later in life, but I would guess that most viruses can do this to some extent in certain people or in certain circumstances. There are billions of cells and billions of viruses, and all it takes is for some virus somewhere to get interrupted in its replication cycle such that it persists infinitely within a living cell.
If this is true, then no amount of testing or quarantine will ever guarantee that someone is entirely virus-free.