More studies are confirming that people with COVID-19 may be contagious before they show any symptoms. Scientists took throat swabs from patients and found that virus numbers were highest when symptoms began and gradually decreased over the next 3 weeks. Researchers estimated that 44% of the transmissions between couples occurred 1 to 3 days before a patient exhibited symptoms. The importance of social distancing was emphasized to help prevent transmission of the virus combined with frequent hand-washing and wearing of facial coverings.