What Does Your Covid Test Result Mean?

July 16, 2020

This blog is written in loving memory of a very dear friend, who, as he often said of others, “graduated with the highest honors”, July 10, 2020, as I was reading an email from him dated July 8th!  Many will miss his gentle soul who spent a life time supporting and bringing people together throughout the world every day of his life without fail.  Thank you for your service to mankind.

I am dedicating this blog to him as 1 ½ weeks ago when teaching he and his wife how to do the Rapid Response Antibody Covid Test, he had a hard time wrapping his head around the results.as many others do also.  He brought up a big problem for most people.  How can you believe Covid test results are accurate?

He and his wife tested negative using the Rapid Response Test for both IgM and IgG after having been exposed by their son 11 days prior.  Their son who had tested positive by nasal swab 11 days prior, now tested IgM neg, IgG positive, appropriate for his clinical time line, however, he was still having symptoms.

First question:  Is my son still infectious?  Answer:  Don’t really know.   Why?

    • Because if he is having symptoms, clinically he could be infectious, although according to the test highly unlikely.
    • The determinant would be to repeat another nasal swab test for the virus itself.
      • If this repeat nasal swab was negative, then it would be extremely unlikely he was infectious.
    • If he had had no symptoms when he did the Rapid Response test, it is extremely unlikely he would be infectious.

Second question:  How can we test negative when we have symptoms?   Answer.  Don’t really know.   Why?

    • Another a nasal swab and/or repeat of the Rapid Response test in 48 hrs to 2 weeks to be determinant!
    • Interpreting the negative testing of Mom and Dad, two people who were definitely exposed to Covid 11 days prior, and definitely claiming symptoms were also inconclusive, but highly unlikely.
    • For more clarity on the time line of the virus, please refer to the attached “Results Interpretation” A picture is easier to understand.

Obviously, the interpretation of test results can be confusing when one has a negative test.

In addition, please understand the below ‘Donaldson Basic Principles of Medicine’.

  1. Medicine is not a science. As hard as everyone tries to make it be a science, it falls short.
  2. Medicine is an art. Statistics often fail us as other biases are present.
  3. No test gives 100% accurate results.
  4. Test results are evaluated by sensitivity and specificity which are critical to know in order to understand your results

Sensitivity is the ability of a test to correctly identify those with the disease.  The higher the sensitivity the higher probability of detecting the disease.  Each manufacturer has to prove and state how sensitive and specific their test is.  Hence test kits coming from different manufacturers will have different stats.

Sensitivity for:

  1. Throat swab for the actual virus called “PCR Covid Testing” is 71%*. This means 29% of the cases are missed!*  Either because the test was not done correctly or there was not enough virus caught on the swab because the patient was early in the disease.
  2. Nasal swab, PCR test is 72-85.5%** Either because the test was not done correctly or there was not enough virus caught on the swab because the patient was early in the disease.
  3. Fingerprint Rapid Response (Testing available through my office.) IgM is 85%,
  4. Fingerprint Rapid Response (Testing available through my office.) IgG is 100%

Specificity is the ability of the test to correctly identify those without the disease.

Specificity for:

  1. Throat swab for the actual virus called “PCR Covid Testing” is 95%*. This means 5% of the cases are missed!*
  2. Nasal swab, PCR test is 100 %**
  3. Fingerprint Rapid Response (Testing available through my office.) IgM is 96%
  4. Fingerprint Rapid Response (Testing available through my office.) IgG is 98%

No wonder people can be confused by negative test results!  However, be assured when you test positive for Covid, it is extremely likely you do have Covid!

One other thing to understand, currently there is no Covid test approved by the FDA, only cleared by the FDA****.

Have a blessed and awesome day.  I hope this helps!  Dr D

Contact Dr. Valerie Donaldson, MD – Regenerative Medicine Center

For Details and Appointments

1-412-767-9890

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