The CDC is conflating viral and antibody tests, compromising crucial metrics that governors depend on to reopen their economies. PA, GA, TX and other states are doing the same.
The viral test tests whether you have the disease. The antibody test tests whether you have had the disease in the past, though you may be fully recovered. By adding these two numbers together, CDC creates the illusion that new infections are continuing at a barely diminished rate.
Several states are basing their decisions to continue lockdown on this flawed data.
The CDC stopped publishing daily test results Feb29. When it resumed publishing test data last week, the new COVID Data Tracker said that only viral tests were included. “These data represent only viral tests. Antibody tests are not currently captured in these data,” the page said as recently as May 18.
May 20 that language changed.
At www.theatlantic.com
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