Virologist explains how Covid-19 tests can show positive and then negative
Dr Glass says it depends at what point in the infection the positive test was obtained
Lancet Laboratories virologist Dr Glass explains how Covid-19 test results can show positive and then a day or two later, can be negative when the test is conducted again.
The test that Lancet Laboratories does picks up the actual virus.
Dr Glass says that people, once infected, will shed the virus for a time and then ‘clear’ the virus as they recover. At this point, the test will no longer be able to pick up any virus. This shows that the person has recovered and is no longer infectious.
Also read: Ladysmith’s first Covid-19 patient tests negative after being admitted into hospital
She adds that, “How long it takes for the test to become negative differs from person to person, and it also depends at what point in the infection the positive test was obtained. It is quite feasible that a positive test may become negative within a day or two if the person was at the end of their infectious period.”
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