> It may also be expected that the symptoms of the patients infected via facal-oral or conjunctival route will be lighter than those infected intranasally.
That seems like the hypothesis they suggest. Interesting implications.
Your nasal passages include structures called "conchae" which, among other purposes, secrete mucus to capture small and potentially disease-carrying particles from incoming air. [1] It's not a perfect defense, of course, but better to have it than not - and when you breathe through your mouth, you don't get the benefit.