Request for information from anons educated in PCR test.
🧐 Research Wanted 🤔
My wife is required to submit to weekly testing for the coof. I asked the testing facility what Cycle Threshold they use for their tests. Here is the response:
**Our test does not use cycle thresholds (Ct). Ct is used for a qPCR test method, whereas we perform rRT-PCR. Our detection is given by flourescently tagged molecules that generate Median Fluorescent Intensity (MFI) based on the viral load of the collected sample. We test for multiple genes within the SARS-CoV-2 genome and have a different threshold for each. I hope that answers your question. **
I 'think' I understand but perhaps there is an anon in here that can give a brief explanation regarding accuracy etc.
So, they are using cycles, but they are not claiming that they have a specific threshold number of cycles at which they will stop the cycles. They just keep going, based on the dye colors they see.
Right?
Exactly. It is just a matter of changing the "florescent strength" they claim is relevant -- but without any scientific basis for the claim.
It could be yes. That is the criticism. Without seeing their protocol there is no way to know for sure, but I think this is likely.
Yes, it is a method that is ripe for abuse, even unintentionally. If one is told to "err on the side of caution" the number of false positives is incalculable. Imo you are probably better off flipping a coin to see if you have covid.