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All-In [40656]
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Question about how CDC is handling false positives
Oct 7, 2021, 4:49 PM
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So, prior to going on vacation last week, wife and I decided to test just to make sure we weren't leaving the country with COVID. I tested positive and a few minutes later my wife tested negative, both with PCR's. I panic, get tested again that evening and the next morning. Both are negative, along with a negative at home rapid test. I also tested negative with a PCR a few days ago in Mexico to come home.
So, with all that said, the CDC has counted me as a positive case even though its not correct. The CDC has only reached out once, via text, to ask me to fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire asked when I started experiencing symptoms, which I hadn't because I didn't have COVID. If I said I didn't have symptoms, they said I needed to quarantine until the 9th.
Clearly my sample got contaminated at the lab, so I wonder how many other folks that morning also got a positive result from that lab when they weren't actually positive.
So my question is this: should positive tests require a second test to support the diagnosis or is a single positive result enough to force people to stay home and quarantine for 10 days, especially if they do not have symptoms?
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Oculus Spirit [78823]
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you went to Mexico?
Oct 7, 2021, 4:54 PM
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how was it?
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All-In [40656]
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Honestly felt safer, COVID wise, there
Oct 7, 2021, 4:56 PM
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To go into any stores/restaurants, you had to have a temp check and put on hand sanitizer. The Wal-Mart we went to for groceries was inside of an outside mall. To get into the mall, you had to get a temp check and put on hand sanitizer and then we had to repeat the process to get into the store itself.
ALL employees at every single establishment and restaurant were masked 100% of the time.
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Oculus Spirit [78823]
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that is pretty nice
Oct 7, 2021, 5:04 PM
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that you answer was based on the bored name
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All-In [40656]
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I try and stay on brand
Oct 7, 2021, 5:19 PM
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Don't want to #### off the locals.
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Oculus Spirit [97648]
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False positives are less frequent than false negatives, but
Oct 7, 2021, 5:35 PM
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they do happen. I think the general rule is if you have a positive test and no symptoms develop in like 5 days, you can take another test and if negative you're good to go. A lot of people have zero symptoms, test positive, then develop symptoms a few days later, hence the reason.
Likewise, if you test negative, but have symptoms, and they worsen, then they recommend getting a second test to confirm negative.
It's a total pain getting tested and they're not accurate because how the virus works. But a false positive is like 2% of the tests and a false negative is like 15%+. And even false negatives may not be false negatives, you just tested too early, OR late. If you're sick with symptoms for a week+ and go get tested, you may get a "false" negative because by then you're over it, not contagious. But you will get a positive (accurate) test result up to 2 days BEFORE symptoms, and a few days after. Generally. Which is why they want you to wait a few days before the retest for a false positive.
Honestly, if you bent over and they shove the q-tip up your ###, that's a much more accurate way to test. But who wants that?
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All-In [40656]
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It was the only positive in my house over about two weeks
Oct 8, 2021, 10:39 AM
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We had hand, foot, and mouth running rampant in our house, so my daughter got tested for COVID to eliminate that on a Friday. That Sunday, I got it, and took a rapid test at home, and came back negative. Four days later was when I got the "positive" test. I also got my first of two negatives three hours after the "positive".
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Oculus Spirit [97648]
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HFMD sux. I had it when our (then) 2yo brought it home
Oct 12, 2021, 2:06 PM
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Gawd, I didn't know adults got it. Then when I got it I checked. Yes, adults get it, and like chicken pox, it's worse if you get it as an adult. Couldn't walk for a good day or two. Luckily it avoided my mouth, mainly on hands and especially feet, ouch.
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All-TigerNet [13359]
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It’s a good question
Oct 12, 2021, 3:06 PM
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You can’t assume you don’t have it. You could have it and simply be asymptomatic. It could have been a false positive because of cross contamination, it could also be a faulty test, or could have picked up on something else all together- you don’t really know. I see total cases count as some kind of overall indicator. It’s certainly not exact.
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Replies: 8
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