The CDC combines results of a test that spots people who are actively infected with results from another one that looks for antibodies. Scientists say it could create a false picture of the pandemic.
, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, expressed concern that adding the two types of tests together could leave the impression that more testing of active cases had been conducted than was actually the case.
Serology tests don't give real-time information about the number of new infections occurring. And combining the tests is problematic because it could leave governments and businesses with a false picture of the true scope of the pandemic, she says. That's important because sufficient testing is considered crucial for keeping the epidemic under control, especially as the nation starts to relax social distancing measures, experts say.
In addition, combining antibody testing with diagnostic testing could reduce the number of tests that appear to be producing positive results, lowering the overall"positivity rate." That's another important benchmark. The World Health Organization has recommended a positivity rate of 10% or less as a signal of whether enough testing is taking place., an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in another email to NPR about the CDC testing data.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
'We've been muzzled': CDC sources say White House putting politics ahead of scienceCDC sources say the White House is putting politics ahead of science, which is worsening the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more »
CDC releases detailed guidelines for reopeningThe CDC has released a detailed set of guidelines for reopening, as well as an extensive blueprint for containing the disease at federal and state levels
Read more »
COVID-19 spread silently through a rural church in March, CDC saysWithin one week of church events, 35 of 92 parishioners were infected.
Read more »
CDC releases detailed guidance on reopening that had previously been shelved by White HouseThe CDC has posted 60 pages of detailed guidelines on how to reopen the US from stay-at-home orders on the agency's website. It's a slightly shorter version of a 68-page document shelved by the White House last week after concerns it was too specific.
Read more »
CDC Finds Coronavirus Outbreak Linked To Arkansas Church Amid Ongoing Concerns Over Religious GatheringsA CDC study found that 38% of 92 attendees at events held at an Arkansas church in early March tested positive for Covid-19—underscoring the risks of public gatherings as states reopen by lisettevoytko
Read more »
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) | Arthritis | CDCThis AIArthritisDay we’re talking about RheumatoidArthritis: an autoimmune disease that affects 1.3 million U.S. adults. Learn how treatment options + healthy choices = better quality of life for RA patients: RAWarriors
Read more »