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TomCADem

(17,378 posts)
Thu May 21, 2020, 11:10 AM May 2020

Coronavirus in the US: At least 4 states combined numbers from two tests

Source: CNN

Virginia, Texas, Georgia, and Vermont have said they've been adding two numbers to their totals: viral test results and antibody test results.

Viral tests are taken by nose swab or saliva sample, and look for direct evidence someone currently has Covid-19. By contrast, antibody tests use blood samples to look for biological signals that a person has been exposed to the virus in the past.

Combining the two tests' results into one total could provide an inaccurate picture of where and when the virus spread.

* * *
The number of tests that have been completed -- numbers widely reported by states and by the White House -- show only part of the picture, the report reads. "The data is really kind of screwed up," Osterholm said. "It's because the public health system is overwhelmed."

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/coronavirus-in-the-us-at-least-4-states-combined-numbers-from-two-tests/ar-BB14p21A?li=BBnb7Kz



It is the wild west as the White House actively undermines States that try to combat the virus or simply refuses to provide any naitonal coordination.
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Coronavirus in the US: At least 4 states combined numbers from two tests (Original Post) TomCADem May 2020 OP
Virginia discontinued the practice some time ago. This report is out of date. Nitram May 2020 #1
Not true for Vermont janterry May 2020 #2
I heard the opposite reported today regarding Florida genxlib May 2020 #3
 

janterry

(4,429 posts)
2. Not true for Vermont
Thu May 21, 2020, 11:33 AM
May 2020

As of May 16, the total testing numbers decreased by about 1,000 due to a change in reporting data. The “total tests” number no longer includes serology tests (also known as antibody tests) that were being reported by some labs. The “total test”number now only reflects people who were tested for a current COVID-19 infection.

https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pdf/Covid-19-Daily-Update.pdf

genxlib

(5,506 posts)
3. I heard the opposite reported today regarding Florida
Thu May 21, 2020, 12:59 PM
May 2020

Florida's official numbers for testing are lower than what the CDC shows. The CDC is lumping together antibody testing with regular testing

https://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/cdcs-national-dashboard-includes-covid-19-data-expert-says-mixes-apples-oranges

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