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.
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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.
Nitram
(22,663 posts)janterry
(4,429 posts)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 testnumber 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)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