Anybody know if covid swab can differentiate?

Discussion in 'Just Talk' started by Joshuaojs, Sep 15, 2020.

  1. Joshuaojs

    Joshuaojs Active Member

    Does anyone know, or able to cite information that can explain if the covid swab test is able to differentiate between Covid and seasonal flu? Or will seasonal flu give a positive result. Cheers
     
  2. quasar9

    quasar9 Screwfix Select

    It’s specific to COVID-19. At least in theory as it’s looking for matches in sections of the viruses RNA. these sections are chosen for their uniqueness, but errors in process, contamination etc can produce up to 30% of results which may be false positives or negatives.
     
    Joshuaojs likes this.
  3. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    What a ridiculous question!

    "Oh, sorry to inform you you've tested positive, Sir. But we're not sure if its seasonal flu or Covid. Or it could be a bad cold"

    Jeez. THINK about what you ask before you ask it and make a complete fool out of yourself.
     
    Martyn21uk and gadget man like this.
  4. Joshuaojs

    Joshuaojs Active Member

    It was reported that tests can pick up old or dead virus, so I was interested to know exactly how the test worked. Which the chap before kindly answered.



    Your attitude stinks pal sort it out
     
    Jord86 and Squashrobinson like this.
  5. Joshuaojs

    Joshuaojs Active Member

    Thanks for that. A clinically very ill member of family tested positive 3 months ago. Naturally we thought that would be it as he fitted into multiple high risk categories.

    I think it must have been a false positive as he didn't develop a single symptom
     
  6. Wayners

    Wayners Screwfix Select

    Lung cells coming up for weeks after covid give false positive I read. Also you can get a viral infection in windpipe which I had which was painful from the crud coming up weeks after, but cleared up on its own in my case in 3 days. Don't know if I had covid in March but had the symptoms Inc loss of smell for a few days and breathing difficulties. Guess I'm a mild case. People you think would be dun for seem to survive or have mild symptoms while others aren't so lucky it seems..
     
  7. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    Yeah, right. The best place to get an answer to your naive question being the Just Talk section of Screwfix Forum. Jog on.

    Your question is an insult to the intelligence of the people and scientists who have developed these tests. I am sure they would know the difference between influenza and COVID don't you? My attitude stinks? Really? Just pointing out an obvious daft question to be honest.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2020
  8. Joshuaojs

    Joshuaojs Active Member

    You got a chip on your shoulder pal
     
  9. Joshuaojs

    Joshuaojs Active Member

    Lots of uncertainty with it, seems like 1 big waiting game
     
  10. quasar9

    quasar9 Screwfix Select

    Not necessarily, you could have COVID and be completely asymptotic . Some 50% get no symptoms and another 25% (these figures are approximate as we cannot know until everyone has had an antibody test and their symptoms recorded) have very mild flu like symptoms. The remaining can have a more serious conditions with some 3% of these resulting in severe cases.
     
    Wayners and Joshuaojs like this.
  11. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    Didn't realise we had members of WHO in our ranks. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
     
  12. Hans_25

    Hans_25 Screwfix Select

    An increasing number of false positives coming from COVID-19 test it seems, as people can test positive due to virus fragments. The more you test, the more false positives you will get which may drive up the perceived need for more testing... If you look at the positive test rates in various countries, its going up and up, especially in some countries like Spain. But the death rate is stubbornly low.

    The pandemic is over and has been for a while, what we have now is a Casedemic. Those that were most susceptible have already had the virus and suffered the consequences.
     
    rogerk101 likes this.
  13. unphased

    unphased Screwfix Select

    I agree entirely, Hans. Apparently, listening to the radio today, many people who don't really need tests are still having them anyway, even though they don't have COVID symptoms. It just adds to my frustration with people generally. Typical.
     
    rogerk101 and Hans_25 like this.
  14. Muzungu

    Muzungu Screwfix Select

    What I find interesting in the latest weekly ONS figures for all deaths (04 Sep two week time lag) is that they are significantly lower than the 5 year average. If this trend continues it does imply that those who are particularly seriously affected have, to put it very crudely, passed. Very early days for the figures to confirm a trend but it will be intriguing to see if the figures for all deaths now remain below the average for the rest of the year or begin to rise again in consequence of this much touted "second wave".
     
    Hans_25 likes this.
  15. Hans_25

    Hans_25 Screwfix Select

    A chap by the name of Ivor Cummins has posted some very insightful videos on youtube, citing statistical data from various countries. Broadly this shows:
    - the deaths were inevitable, following the Gompertz curve. Countries that had a prior soft flu season had higher death rates from COVID, which is expected, and overall deaths rates were not much high than is typical and actually lower than in some prior years
    - We are now in the tail of the curve, infections might be going up but deaths remain stubbornly low, per the Gompertz curve. Hence we're in a Casedemic
    - When measures were lifted e.g. pubs opened, the death rates continued to go down, demonstrating that lockdown measures have no measurable effect
    - If you compare Sweden (minimal measures) to other countries like Spain where there were big lockdowns, Sweden has come out better, the economy is not affected as much and may well have increased community immunity (which the wearing of masks prevents)
     
    longboat likes this.
  16. Muzungu

    Muzungu Screwfix Select

    The information about infection rates going up intrigues me. I would have thought that the only way to tell if infection rates are actually going up is for there to be a random testing regime, which there is not, or so I believe. Those going for testing are a self selecting group which is surely, for statistical purposes, next to useless. I am neither an epidemiologist nor statistician but, to put it frankly, the "experts" have not exactly covered themselves with glory in the recent past. Rather than the media just given the crude numbers testing positive surely the percentage of the group tested who test positive would give a clearer picture. Even then it is still a self selecting group so cannot be an accurate picture of what is happening across the community.

    I am always wary of pontificating about something that I have no training in but there does come a point when questions inevitably arise.
     
    longboat, rogerk101 and Hans_25 like this.
  17. Johnny B Good

    Johnny B Good New Member

    I had very few symptoms of covid, but have had the blood test for covid dna, which came back positive. So I have to assume I've had this coronavirus.
     
  18. DIY0001

    DIY0001 Active Member

    Indeed, you can have Covid-19 to never quite meet the performance curve. ;)
    And some folks with Covid-19 are asymptomatic as well. :D
     
  19. longboat

    longboat Screwfix Select

    According to a BBC article I read a week or so ago (think they were citing ONS data) the percentage of tests coming back positive has decreased since June when it was about 1.2% and now it is 0.8%.
    Number of tests carried out have also increased by 80% during these two points.
    Will try and find it from the organ grinder and post it up.

    Why the bench mark has suddenly focused on the statistics in June I don't know, but that's what all the media are now basing things on for some reason.
     

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