Preventing the spread of the coronavirus is an essential step in controlling the pandemic. Testing has always been one of the main areas of focus, as people are advised to isolate if they receive a positive result to avoid spreading COVID to others. However, this method may not be foolproof – mainly depending on the type of test used. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just issued a warning about the possibility of inaccurate results with a specific COVID test. Read on to find out which test the organization is concerned with and for more news about the coronavirus, if this part of your body hurts, you may have COVID.
The FDA issued an alert on January 4 to alert patients and healthcare professionals to false results of the COVID Dressing test. According to the report, this COVID test is particularly likely to give false negative results. Manufactured by Curative, this real-time PCR test aims to provide results within 48 hours. However, the FDA says the test is generally not used in the right circumstances, which creates a “greater risk” of inaccurate results. And for more COVID warnings, Dr. Fauci has just issued this warning about another new COVID strain.
According to the FDA, curative tests should be administered by a trained health professional and should only be used on symptomatic patients within 14 days of the onset of COVID symptoms. During a clinical study for this test, all false negatives were seen in patients who were asymptomatic at the time of the test.
The FDA says that a negative curative test result does not necessarily mean that you do not have the virus, and it “should not be used as a sole basis for treatment or patient management decisions.” The test should be used primarily to confirm the virus in people who are already showing telltale symptoms of COVID. And for more up-to-date information, subscribe to our daily newsletter.
The FDA issued this warning because there are adverse effects related to obtaining a false negative. “The risks to a patient of a false negative result include: delay or lack of supportive treatment, lack of monitoring of infected individuals and their homes or other close contacts for symptoms, resulting in an increased risk of spreading COVID-19 in the community, or other unintended adverse events, “the FDA said. And for more coronavirus risks, these people are more at risk of getting the new COVID strain, study found.
As a Los Angeles-based startup, Curative tests thousands of Los Angeles every day, Los Angeles Business Journal reports. However, the company also has test sites in Florida and Texas. And according to NBC, Curative recently expanded to Washington, DC to test members of Congress after an increase in COVID cases in Congress.
If you are concerned about your results and concerned that you have been tested with a curative test, the FDA says that you should contact your healthcare provider. In addition, you must have received a technical sheet along with the test results report with the name of the test displayed so that you can confirm the manufacturer. And for more FDA guidance, the FDA has just decided that you can’t do these 4 things with COVID vaccines.