Originally Posted by
Excargodog
You ARE incorrect. Both antibody AND PCR rests have less than 100% specificity and sensitivity ESPECIALLY for newly infected people, in fact, both say that multiple tests over a 2-3 day period may be necessary to ibtain a positive.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2025631
and the readily available BINAX test is remarkably unsuited for screening:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7003e3.htm
Don’t get me wrong, you are ENTITLED to not understand this, but the government ought to know better.
But look at Bayes Theorem and plug in the current prevalence rate of new infections and do the math. Don’t take my word for it. It ain’t rocket science.
From Harvard health below it says positive tests are almost always correct. Negative tests may be less definitive. I guess what I’m asking is if it’s known that the accuracy is near 100% meaning 85% or more, why assume that none of it works. Let’s be realistic, the chance of you driving up to a test site and knowing if you have it or not is very good. Everyone I know including me that has tested can agree with this.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/disea...he-coronavirus
How reliable are the tests for COVID-19?
Two types of diagnostic tests are currently available in the US. PCR tests detect viral RNA. Antigen tests, also called rapid diagnostic tests, detect specific proteins on the surface of the coronavirus. Antigen test results may come back in as little as 15 to 45 minutes; you may wait several days or longer for PCR test results.
The accuracy of any diagnostic test depends on many factors, including whether the sample was collected properly. For PCR tests, which are typically analyzed in a laboratory, test results may be affected by the conditions in which the test was shipped to the laboratory.
Results may also be affected by the timing of the test. For example, if you are tested on the day you were infected, your test result is almost guaranteed to come back negative, because there are not yet enough viral particles in your nose or saliva to detect. The chance of getting a false negative test result decreases if you are tested a few days after you were infected, or a few days after you develop symptoms.
Generally speaking, if a test result comes back positive, it is almost certain that the person is infected.
A negative test result is less definite. There is a higher chance of false negatives with antigen tests. If you have a negative result on an antigen test, your doctor may order a PCR test to confirm the result.
If you experience COVID-like symptoms and get a negative PCR test result, there is no reason to repeat the test unless your symptoms get worse. If your symptoms do worsen, call your doctor or local or state healthcare department for guidance on further testing. You should also self-isolate at home. Wear a mask when interacting with members of your household. And practice physical distancing.