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Original poster

DH tested positive

54 replies

HelloMissus · 24/09/2020 09:22

So DH and I both were rated recently as a routine part of our work.
I’ve come back negative but he’s tested positive.
He’s got no symptoms at all. He’s working, running etc etc
Is it possibly a mistake? Or more likely he’s asymptomatic?
Is it worth getting him another test do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
HelloMissus · 24/09/2020 09:22
  • tested
OP posts:
frozendaisy · 24/09/2020 09:44

If you can retest.

awesomeaircraft · 24/09/2020 09:47

There are many asymptomatic carriers, hence the R rate getting being what it is.

If work have no shortage of tests, he could ask for resets in case of it is a false positive.

Char2015 · 24/09/2020 09:48

No he doesn't need another test - asymptomatic cases are fairly common. Asymptomatic cases are not routinely re-tested. You both need to isolate though along with anyone else in your home.

Littered5 · 24/09/2020 09:49

@awesomeaircraft

There are many asymptomatic carriers, hence the R rate getting being what it is.

If work have no shortage of tests, he could ask for resets in case of it is a false positive.

It’s true if all of us were to test ourselves it would be interesting to see how many (well people) came back with positive results.
Cornettoninja · 24/09/2020 10:19

Asymptomatic cases are a known ‘thing’ so I would take it that it’s correct.

It’s a pain but those are the times we live in. Do you have to isolate as a household now?

raysofhope · 24/09/2020 10:28

I’d say it would be worth getting a retest, false positives are certainly a possibility with the Covid tests. This article explains it and also highlights the value of retesting in cases like your husbands :
www.hdruk.ac.uk/projects/false-positives/

Original poster
HelloMissus · 24/09/2020 10:30

I think he might get re-tested. Work won’t mind.
Then if it comes back negative this time we won’t have to isolate any longer.

OP posts:
lazylinguist · 24/09/2020 10:33

Considering what a high proportion of people get it with no symptoms, surely if everyone got a re-test because they don't think they've got it becausethey feel fine, it would be a massive waste of tests?!

Char2015 · 24/09/2020 10:41

@HelloMissus

I think he might get re-tested. Work won’t mind. Then if it comes back negative this time we won’t have to isolate any longer.
When was he tested?
Cornettoninja · 24/09/2020 10:49

@HelloMissus

I think he might get re-tested. Work won’t mind. Then if it comes back negative this time we won’t have to isolate any longer.
How would you be sure it’s not a false negative?
qwerty222 · 24/09/2020 10:56

We are tested weekly in work. There have been a number of false positives. They are retested and when they come back negative the person can go back to work and carry on as normal. This is in Scotland in a care home setting.

DancingInTheGarden · 24/09/2020 10:59

Dominic Raab said last night on Sky news that only 7% of the positive tests are true positives. If this is true then the high "asymptomatic" numbers may be false and all the science based on poor test accuracy.

twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1308655561081225217

tldr · 24/09/2020 11:02

dancing, that’s not at all what he said. Read the tweet again.

Mummyto3gorgeousgirlies · 24/09/2020 11:08

[quote DancingInTheGarden]Dominic Raab said last night on Sky news that only 7% of the positive tests are true positives. If this is true then the high "asymptomatic" numbers may be false and all the science based on poor test accuracy.

twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1308655561081225217[/quote]
What was actually said in the quote you attach is "only 7% of tests will be successful in identifying those who have the virus". That is not the same as only 7% of the positives are true... more likely it means there are lots of false negatives

Cornettoninja · 24/09/2020 11:14

@qwerty222

We are tested weekly in work. There have been a number of false positives. They are retested and when they come back negative the person can go back to work and carry on as normal. This is in Scotland in a care home setting.
Honestly, that isn’t particularly reassuring in an area of the country where cases are high. Surely to be certain it would take at least three tests to be able to write off the results of one of them?

The tests aren’t perfect but they’re what we have and to dismiss one of two tests just seems like picking the answer you like best to me.

Beebeeboo2 · 24/09/2020 11:14

I think Raab Is he saying that he expects 93% of travellers not to have the virus. We know that the PCR test has a false positive rate of 5%.

DamitJanet · 24/09/2020 11:15

[quote DancingInTheGarden]Dominic Raab said last night on Sky news that only 7% of the positive tests are true positives. If this is true then the high "asymptomatic" numbers may be false and all the science based on poor test accuracy.

twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1308655561081225217[/quote]
What he was saying (listening to the full clip not the headline grabbing quote) was about airport testing only being able to pick up around 7% of those who have COVID at the time the testing would be done. It doesn’t mean only 7% of positive tests are accurate.

OP, although false positives can happen, it’s more likely to be he’s asymptomatic and so should proceed as such.

whatswithtodaytoday · 24/09/2020 11:17

[quote DancingInTheGarden]Dominic Raab said last night on Sky news that only 7% of the positive tests are true positives. If this is true then the high "asymptomatic" numbers may be false and all the science based on poor test accuracy.

twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1308655561081225217[/quote]
That is absolutely not what he says at all.

GreyishDays · 24/09/2020 11:18

The ONS have been doing exactly that, @Littered5 I think they found 7% ish of us have had it.

Howslifenow · 24/09/2020 11:21

Are you both isolating. Isolation should be fine.

Original poster
HelloMissus · 24/09/2020 11:45

We are both isolating - we can work from home easily enough, but we’ve things we’d like to do if possible.
So if it’s a false positive that would be helpful.
Work are happy to do it for DH. Football club so assuming they have a gazillion private tests.

OP posts:
Original poster
HelloMissus · 24/09/2020 11:52

char he took the test at the weekend.
Got the results the next day.
By complete coincidence I had one already booked on Monday (for my work ).

OP posts:
DancingInTheGarden · 24/09/2020 12:20

@whatswithtodaytoday @tldr and @DamitJanet

I DID listen to the full clip last night which is how I knew about it and how to find it. I might have quoted it incorrectly but that is exactly why I went and found the clip and linked to it so others could hear for themselves.

It is also a bit the way he phrased it "The false positive rate is very high [it or so] only 7% of tests will be successful in identifying those who have the virus"

So 7% of tests are true positives or true negatives.

The absolute figures around the false positives then is confusing but it is still a statistical nightmare and a lottery for scientific results.

If I developed a test with this rate of false results I would have been sacked for incompetence and the test binned.

squishee · 24/09/2020 14:28

What's different about the accuracy of testing in airports compared to other settings, anyway?